China's 1st moon astronauts could land in Rimae Bode, a 'geological museum' on the lunar near side

A diverse volcanic region on the moon's near side could become the landing site for China's first crewed lunar mission, according to a new study.

"It offers a diverse landscape of volcanic plains and ancient highlands, allowing astronauts to sample everything from volcanic ash erupted from the deep lunar interior to debris from massive ancient impacts within a single traversable area.

China aims to land its first astronauts on the moon before the end of the decade. Over the last year, the nation has been testing hardware for this ambitious endeavor, including lunar landing and launch simulations and crew spacecraft abort and rocket tests. Now, a team of scientists has conducted a detailed assessment of a priority candidate landing area, providing fresh insights into the planning for the historic mission — and its potential scientific payoff.