We love space news here on the context. And tonight, its the next step in chinas ambitious space programme. The countrys space agency has launched a rocket that its hoping will make history. This is the moment the change 6 mission blasted off from the Wenchang Space launch centre in southern hainan province. On board is a probe that will aim for the first time to collect samples from the far side of the moon. The spacecraft will attempt to make a soft landing on the South Pole Aitken basin, one of the largest known Impact Craters in the solar system. It then hopes to return the samples successfully to earth. The journey is expected to take 53 days to complete. Im pleased to say former nasa astronaut, who was once the commander of the International Space station, leroy chiao joins us now. Leroy, always a delight to talk to you. I love talking to you about space, and give me your sense of how significant this is not only that china has launched this probe that its been a successful launch . Thats right, and china has been interesting in the moon for a very long time, the moon is important culturally too many cultures, to china especially, and so this is the sixth in a series of these probes that have been launched over the years. This one, numbersix, is basically a duplicate of number five, the spacecraft over the river, all that is the same, except it is going to the opposite place, five went to the northern pole of the moon, on the near side of the side thats facing us, this one will go to the south side of the moon, on the far side, which is away from us, so in a way theyre collecting samples from the two different polls, the two different regions, and so it will collect a proximally one and a half to two kilograms of sample and then bring them back to earth, so very exciting mission. You make it sound earth, so very exciting mission. You make it sound super simple and super easy and i know it is anything but explained to me why this has its own difficulties, in particular on that dark side of the moon. Just remind people what that is a. People what that is a. Sure. When oure on people what that is a. Sure. When youre on the people what that is a. Sure. When youre on the mood people what that is a. Sure. When youre on the mood you people what that is a. Sure. When youre on the mood you dont people what that is a. Sure. When | youre on the mood you dont have direct line of sight to the earth. That means communication is an issue, right, because radio waves, you have to point it at the right direction, and so the chinese actually have a satellite on the far side that can relay those communications back and forth between the Control Centre and the spacecraft, and also you cant have any direct observation if you dont have a satellite in orbit of the activities, and even from the earth, its somewhat difficult. But this is a challenging mission. Weve seen recently in recent months the japanese, a commercial company here in the United States, they both landed on the mood but then there spacecraft tipped over, not an easy thing to do, especially if youre deploying a rover which the chinese have done several times, so this one should be ok, because like i said, its a duplicate of the last spacecraft that they launched to the moon, and so should be of the dudes job, and i expect them to be successful. It is not simple. It may sound easy but its not an easy thing to do. Sound easy but its not an easy thing to da sound easy but its not an easy thing to tie sound easy but its not an easy thin to do. ,. ,. , ~. ,. , thing to do. Know, looking at even a little bit of the thing to do. Know, looking at even a little bit of the detail, thing to do. Know, looking at even a little bit of the detail, and thing to do. Know, looking at even a little bit of the detail, and it little bit of the detail, and it absolutely is astonishing to even get it up there and never mind all the way back too. They say they are going to look for lunar samples, lunar soil, going to look for lunar samples, lunarsoil, lunar going to look for lunar samples, lunar soil, lunar rocks, going to look for lunar samples, lunarsoil, lunar rocks, conduct experiments. What are they actually looking for, Leroy Coachella so they are looking to see if things are different on the far side, and we already have a probe, had a probe and a rover on the far side that would have an operating, and i believe may still be operating, and they made some significant discoveries. They made some significant discoveries. ,. they made some significant discoveries. ,. ,. , discoveries. Things are different on the far side discoveries. Things are different on the far side. They discoveries. Things are different on the far side. They have discoveries. Things are different on the far side. They have come discoveries. Things are different on| the far side. They have come across Rock Formations and things like that better different. So this add to that fountain of knowledge, if you will, and of course everyone is interested in the south pole region because thats where and some of these craters that never see the sun theres the possibility or probability of water ice there, along with other possibly precious things that are in the soil, and so by sending a simple back, they will get a better understanding of whats going on down in those craters. find going on down in those craters. And as ou going on down in those craters. And as you said. Going on down in those craters. And as you said, the important insights that we may get from these samples, assuming they can get back to us on earth, and talk to me about what this might allow. Are we talking about the potential, and i know this has been touted by both america and china, about a moon base, a permanent presence up on the moon . Absolutely. China has talked about, of course they have a programme to send their own astronauts to the moon, they intend to do that, they say sometime hopefully before 2030 but around 2030. This will help to understand what they are getting into their longer Term Programme is to establish a base. They have in agreement with russia to establish a lunar base on the moon. Nasa, we have our own plans establishing a base there in the south pole, we have got our Artemis Programme going, and then there is the commercial side, going, and then there is the commercialside, spacex going, and then there is the commercial side, spacex is on the major players, the main player frankly, in developing the Human Landerfor Nasa and frankly, in developing the human lander for nasa and spacex frankly, in developing the Human Landerfor Nasa and spacex i believe will go there with or without nasa anyway, but it is an exciting time, and so this is kind of building the foundation of knowledge to have a successful lunar base there. Leroy, sta with successful lunar base there. Leroy, stay with us successful lunar base there. Leroy, stay with us. Want successful lunar base there. Leroy, stay with us. Want to successful lunar base there. Leroy, stay with us. Want to bring successful lunar base there. Leroy, stay with us. Want to bring in successful lunar base there. Leroy, stay with us. Want to bring in joe i stay with us. Want to bring injoe walsh, who is on our panel tonight. For so long the us has dominated space exploration, and i wonder if this to start looking like a new space race, as leary was talking but a Permanent Base on the moon. And also given this tension between the us and china right now, we know theres been a lot of diplomatic effort to try and ratchet down tensions, but it does put the two face to face once again, doesnt it, in a whole new way . Facetoface once again, doesnt it, in a whole new way . Facetoface once again, doesnt it, in a whole new way . Yeah, thats the sense that i in a whole new way . Yeah, thats the sense that i get in a whole new way . Yeah, thats the sense that i get right now, in a whole new way . Yeah, thats the sense that i get right now, in sense that i get right now, in listening sense that i get right now, in listening to you too right now, is that we listening to you too right now, is that we are listening to you too right now, is that we are in another race, we are inanother that we are in another race, we are in another space race, were in another in another space race, were in another race to the moon, where it used another race to the moon, where it used to another race to the moon, where it used to he another race to the moon, where it used to be us and russia, now youve ot used to be us and russia, now youve got a used to be us and russia, now youve got a number used to be us and russia, now youve got a number of other countries india. Got a number of other countries india. Japan, got a number of other countries india, japan, china now very involved india, japan, china now very involved. You would think, the hope would involved. You would think, the hope would he involved. You would think, the hope would be that, again, all of humanity and this planet would cooperate when it comes to any information, any material, any interesting substances garnered from the moon interesting substances garnered from the moon that we would all cooperate, and all be kind of on the same cooperate, and all be kind of on the same team, cooperate, and all be kind of on the same team, but i will be honest, i dont same team, but i will be honest, i dont think same team, but i will be honest, i dont think america thinks china is going dont think america thinks china is going to dont think america thinks china is going to behave that way, i know that Government Officials in america want us that Government Officials in america want us to that Government Officials in america want us to get back and with a manned want us to get back and with a manned mission to the moon and set p manned mission to the moon and set up a colony manned mission to the moon and set up a colony there before china does. Because up a colony there before china does. Because i up a colony there before china does. Because i think there is a natural distrust because i think there is a natural distrust right now of china. Could this be the distrust right now of china. Could this be the thing, distrust right now of china. Could this be the thing, joe, distrust right now of china. Could this be the thing, joe, that distrust right now of china. Could this be the thing, joe, that we i distrust right now of china. Could j this be the thing, joe, that we all need right now . Because the idea of being up on a space station, and im going to ask leroy about this because he knows first hand, nsf, but you look back at earth and it is these tiny little thing where all of our problems, all of our of our wars, all of this on a tidy floating in space and we could all do with that, that we are all insignificant we should get along because theres bigger stuff out there. filth. We should get along because theres bigger stuff out there. Bigger stuff out there. Oh, gosh, es, bigger stuff out there. Oh, gosh, yes. Right . Bigger stuff out there. Oh, gosh, yes. Right . The bigger stuff out there. Oh, gosh, yes, right . The tiny bigger stuff out there. Oh, gosh, yes, right . The tiny blue bigger stuff out there. Oh, gosh, yes, right . The tiny blue dot, bigger stuff out there. Oh, gosh, yes, right . The tiny blue dot, we all live yes, right . The tiny blue dot, we all live on yes, right . The tiny blue dot, we all live on this tiny blue dot. I keep all live on this tiny blue dot. I keep thinking, as i listen to you too, keep thinking, as i listen to you too, that keep thinking, as i listen to you too, that 100 years from now, they are going too, that 100 years from now, they are going to too, that 100 years from now, they are going to look back at this broadcast and kind of smile and laugh broadcast and kind of smile and laugh at broadcast and kind of smile and laugh at us, as who knows how many people laugh at us, as who knows how many people might live on the moon . So, you, people might live on the moon . So, you. We people might live on the moon . So, you. We are people might live on the moon . So, you, we are all in this together. My hope you, we are all in this together. My hope is you, we are all in this together. My hope is that you, we are all in this together. My hope is that this is the spirit all of these hope is that this is the spirit all of these countries would take. Leroy, of these countries would take. Leroy, youve been up there, you have had that incredible view back down to earth. It must remind you of how insignificant we are and does it give you a sense of peace when youre up there looking at this little earth floating in space . It does. It is interesting because you look out into deep space and you do get that feeling that we are just insignificant, for sure, but you look at the earth, it is colourful, it is vibrant, it is alive, it looks very peaceful, even though intellectually of course those of us that are up there watching it, there is a lot of conflict, a lot of suffering going on, so we are orbiting over these places, and international cooperation, ive always been a big believer in that, i saw it first hand with the russians, even with the conflicts that we had with each other, at least we had one very visible civil space project that we were both aligned on, and it is in both her interest for it to succeed. Thats why i was advocating years ago to do something similar with china and their space programme, and a china at the time, some years ago, was up for that, advocated for it, and frankly it was the United States that slammed the door on them, so now theyre going it alone. And theyve got an operational space station, its going very well, and they are going to go on with their own lunar ambitions with or without us, and they are, theyve got international cooperation, the french the italians, the pakistanis have experiments on this latest probe that just launched, have experiments on this latest Probe Thatjust launched, and so i think that is the way to go, but the politics rule the date on anything and even in space exploration, so we have got to be realistic about it as well. ,. , ~. , i. Well. Leroy, love talking to you. I could talk well. Leroy, love talking to you. I could talk to well. Leroy, love talking to you. I could talk to you well. Leroy, love talking to you. I could talk to you all well. Leroy, love talking to you. I could talk to you all night, well. Leroy, love talking to you. I could talk to you all night, but. Could talk to you all night, but i have got to squeeze in some other news, unfortunately but thank you, leroy chiao. Always good to get your insight on stories like this. Thank you. Now two things may be a little bit more monday and. We will talk about the health of the us economy. The latest Employment Data coming in below expectations. The us economy added 175,000 newjobs in april well below forecasts as high as 250,000. Its the smallest rise in six months and suggests the Labour Market could be cooling in what is the worlds biggest economy. The Health Care Sector was the biggest contributor, recording an extra 56,000 jobs thats consistent with recent trends. Social care, warehousing and transportation also show significant growth. It meant that overall Unemployment Rate rose slightly to 3. 9 , compared with estimates of 3. 8 . The latest figures come after the fed once again voted to hold borrowing costs steady, as it battles to tame inflation rising prices that are leaving americans with less money in their pockets. Lets talk to susie and joe, and thatis lets talk to susie and joe, and that is a real problem forjoe biden, that the economy is doing pretty well on the whole but people are not feeling it yet . Thea;t pretty well on the whole but people are not feeling it yet . Are not feeling it yet . They are not feelin it are not feeling it yet . They are not feeling it yet. Are not feeling it yet . They are not feeling it yet, and are not feeling it yet . They are not feeling it yet, and to are not feeling it yet . They are not feeling it yet, and to bidens feeling it yet, and to bidens children. Feeling it yet, and to bidens children, its like since he first ot children, its like since he first got elected, theyve never felt it. Bidens got elected, theyve never felt it. Bidens chagrin. I would argue because bidens chagrin. I would argue because biden has done a pre poor ob because biden has done a pre poor job of because biden has done a pre poor job of commena getting it. Post covid, job of commena getting it. Post covid, the American Economy has rebounded covid, the American Economy has rebounded better than any other economy rebounded better than any other economy in the world. And that needs to be emphasised. The fear now is that it to be emphasised. The fear now is that it is to be emphasised. The fear now is that it is cooling off and that politically, that again could be a bin, politically, that again could be a big, big politically, that again could be a big, big problem for biden. Susie, there is a very big, big problem for biden. Susie, there is a very different big, big problem for biden. Susie, there is a very different picture. Big, big problem for biden. Susie, there is a very different picture in | there is a very different picture in there is a very different picture in the uk right now, because inflation is starting to come down, talk of Interest Rate cuts in the autumn, all very well time for that general election, even though i dont think the government has really had to do much for that to happen, it is about what they have not done, it is fair to say, but it is important because elections are won and lost on how well the economy is doing. Thea;r elections are won and lost on how well the economy is doing. They have been historically, well the economy is doing. They have been historically, but well the economy is doing. They have been historically, but recent been historically, but recent elections have disproved some of that. Underthe elections have disproved some of that. Under the 0bama administration, undertrump, usually administration, under trump, usually when administration, undertrump, usually when the economy is doing well of the incumbent will come back in and that has not happened in recent history. There have been other factors that have polarised voters and influenced them. Its notjust been the economy, stup