China successfully launched the Chang'e-4 lunar probe aboard a Long March 3B rocket at 2:23 a.m. BJT on December 8.

北京时间12月8日凌晨2时23分，长征三号乙运载火箭成功发射嫦娥四号月球探测器。

With a lander and rover, its key mission is to explore the far side of the Moon, a side not visible from the Earth.

利用着陆器和探测器，嫦娥四号的主要任务是探索月球的远端，这是在地球上无法看到的一面。

People have been admiring the Moon for thousands of years, but the mysteries there are about to get a lot closer.

几千年来，人们一直在仰头欣赏着月球，其神秘面纱即将被揭开。

Blasting off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China's Chang'e-4 lunar probe could be the first ever to soft-land on the far side of the Moon.

从西昌卫星发射中心发射升空的我国嫦娥四号月球探测器，可能是第一个在月球远端软着陆的探测器。

The Moon's far side, or dark side, is not visible from the Earth due to a phenomenon called tidal locking.

由于潮汐锁定现象，月球的远侧也就是暗侧在地球上是看不见的。

To explore this uncharted area, the first key challenge was to guarantee communication with controllers on Earth.

为了探索这一未知领域，第一个关键挑战是保证与地球上的控制器通信。

On May 21, China launched Chang'e-4's relay satellite, Queqiao or Magpie Bridge. It has since entered the Halo orbit, where it serves as a perfect communication link.

今年5月21日，中国发射了嫦娥四号中继卫--鹊桥。此后，它进入了光晕轨道，在那里它成为了一个完美的沟通纽带。

The rover will be equipped with four major scientific payloads, which were jointly developed by scientists from the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and China.

嫦娥四号探测器将配备四个主要的、由来自荷兰、德国、瑞典、沙特阿拉伯和中国的科学家共同开发的科学有效载荷。