我国宣布计划将于年探索月球阴暗面

China plans to land the first probe ever on the dark side of the moon in 2018, marking another milestone in its ambitious space program, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

据新华社报道，中国计划于2018年发射首部探索月球背面的探测器。这将是中国太空项目中的又一里程碑事件。

China has launched a new round of work focused on lunar exploration, coming about two years after it made the first "soft landing" on the moon since 1976 with the Chang'e-3 craft and its Jade Rabbit rover.

此前，中国的嫦娥三号飞行器和玉兔号月球车已经成功地实现了自1976年以来的首次月球“软着陆”。两年后，中国开始了新一轮的月球探测工作。

A new probe, the Chang'e-4, is similar to the Chang'e-3 but can carry a bigger payload, Xinhua quoted Liu Jizhong, head of the science, technology and defense industry administration's lunar exploration center, as saying late on Thursday.

新华社引用国防科技局下属探月中心主任刘继忠的话称，新探测器嫦娥四号和嫦娥三号相近，但是具有更大的有效负载。

The craft will study geological conditions on the far side of the moon, Liu said.

刘继忠表示：“嫦娥四号将会探测月球背面的地理条件。”

Advancing China's space program has been a priority of leaders, with President Xi Jinping calling for China to establish itself as a space power. China insists that its space program is for peaceful purposes.

在习近平主席号召中国建立自主太空力量之下，发展中国太空项目已经是中国领导人的头等要事之一。同时中国也坚称其太空项目的出发点是和平的。