China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe successfully lands on Moon's far side
What's the story
China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe has made a successful landing on the far side of the Moon, as reported by Chinese state media agency Xinhua. The probe touched down in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, one of the largest known impact craters in our solar system. This marks a significant milestone as it is the first time samples will be collected from this rarely explored area of the Moon.
Mission details
A 53-day mission to the Moon
The Chang'e-6 embarked on a technically challenging 53-day mission that began on May 3. According to Huang Wu, an official at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation told state broadcaster CCTV that the probe descended from its orbit about 200km above the Moon to survey for a suitable landing site. "The (descent to a lower) orbit carried a few risks, so we needed precise control procedures to put (the probe) onto its preset trajectory," said Huang.
Sample collection
Chang'e-6's next steps: Collecting lunar samples
After reaching its trajectory, the probe had to rapidly reduce its relative speed to the Moon to zero within 15 minutes, explained Huang. This maneuver required a significant amount of propellant, essentially half of the probe's total weight. Now that it has landed, the probe will attempt to collect lunar soil and rocks and conduct other experiments in the landing zone. The collection process should be completed within two days, according to Xinhua.
Future prospects
Unprecedented launch and potential research opportunities
The Chang'e-6 probe will use two methods for collection: a drill for gathering samples beneath the surface and a robotic arm for collecting specimens from the surface. After this, it will attempt an unprecedented launch from the side of the Moon that always faces away from Earth. Scientists believe that this dark side of the Moon holds great potential for research. Material collected from the dark side of the Moon may provide better insights into its original formation.
Space goals
China's accelerated space ambitions under Xi Jinping
China's space ambitions have been accelerated under President Xi Jinping. The country has achieved milestones including building a space station called Tiangong, landing robotic rovers on Moon and Mars, and becoming only the third country to independently put humans in orbit. Notably, China now aims to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 and also build a lunar base. In contrast, the US plans to put astronauts back to the Moon by 2026 with NASA's Artemis 3 mission