Chang'e-6 Lunar Probe of China Lands Successfully on Moon's Far Side, Allowing Sample Collection in This Rarely Explored Region

(Photo : HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images) TOPSHOT - A Long March 5 rocket, carrying the Chang'e-6 mission lunar probe, lifts off as it rains at the Wenchang Space Launch Centre in southern China's Hainan Province on May 3, 2024.

China's very own Chang'e-6 lunar probe successfully landed on the Moon's far side last Sunday.

This endeavor serves as the latest leap in the decades-old space program of Beijing. The probe could now proceed with sample collection.

Chang'e-6 Lunar Probe

The Chang'e-6 has settled over the South Pole-Aitken Basin, which is one of the solar system's largest known impact craters. This would be the first time for samples to be gathered from the rarely explored lunar region.

The probe is on a technically complex 53-day lunar mission that started on May 3.

Last Sunday, it went down from its orbit roughly 200 kilometers over the Moon to scour the lunar surface for landing. Huang Wu, an official from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, shared that the descent of the probe had a couple of risks. Because of this, they needed accurate control in order to place the lunar probe over its preset trajectory.

Afterwards, they had to quickly reduce the relative speed of the probe to the Moon to zero in a span of 15 minutes. This required massive propellant amounts that were equivalent to basically half the entire weight of the probe.

Since the probe has landed, it will try scooping lunar rocks and soil and conduct other experiments in the landing area.

Xinhua, a state news agency, shared that such a process could be finished within a span of two days. The probe will also make use of two collection methods, namely, a drill for sample collection below the surface and a robotic arm for grabbing specimens from the surface.

Then, it should try an unprecedented launch from the Moon's side that faces away from the planet.

According to scientists, the dark side of the Moon has great research potential due to how its craters are covered less by ancient lava flows, in comparison the Moon's near side.

The mission has a goal of gathering roughly two kilograms of material with a mechanical arm and drill. The samples gathered from the dark side could also shed more light on the Moon's initial formation.

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Lunar Explorations

From the South Pole-Aitken basin impact crater, the lunar probe could collect material from deep within the lunar mantle, the Moon's inner core.

At the next frontier for further lunar missions is the Moon's South Pole. Several countries are keen to learn more about the area as there are good chances that it could contain ice.

Water changes could boost the chances of having a human lunar base for further scientific study.

If this mission is found to succeed, the craft will go back to Earth with the samples collected on a capsule for special return. The material will be cared for in special conditions in order to preserve its state of being pristine as much as possible.

This effort marks China's second time to launch a lunar mission to gather samples. In 2020, the Chang'e-5 carried 1.7 kilograms of material from a region known as Oceanus Procellarum on the near side of the Moon.