Unmanned landing module delivers rock and soil samples
China's unmanned Chang'e-6 probe is returning to Earth with the first samples from the far side of the Moon, marking a major achievement for Beijing's space program, Xinhua reported. If successful, China will become the first country to send material back to Earth from the far side of the Moon.
The probe landed on the lunar surface on Sunday, June 2, 2024, in one of the oldest craters on the Moon, the South Pole-Aitken Basin , and then spent two days collecting rock and soil samples with his drill and robotic arm.
“After successfully collecting samples, the Chinese national flag carried by the lander was installed on the far side of the moon for the first time,” the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said.
CNSA confirmed that the probe has set off on its return journey. and its ascending module “took off from the surface of the Moon” and entered orbit around the Moon.
“This is a very important achievement,” explains Professor Martin Barstow. Only the US and Russia have recovered samples from the Moon by landing and then taking off again. This demonstrates the impressive capabilities of the Chinese space program. In general, taking off from the Moon is a technical feat, but it is an even more difficult task when it is carried out on the far side.
Flying to the Moon is a source of great national pride in China. As a reminder, thousands of visitors witnessed the launch in Xinan province in May. Each stage of the expedition was widely covered by the Chinese media, including radio, television and social networks.
NASA chief Bill Nelson congratulated China on the project, but also called on the Chinese government to be more open about the goals and intentions of its space program. Nelson has previously warned that the United States and China are engaged in a space race to return to the Moon and that China will lay claim to any resources found.
A spokesman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the mission to the far side of the Moon is a historic step in mankind's peaceful use of space and that many countries have praised China for its implementation.
The far side of the Moon, sometimes called the “dark side”, is believed to be side” because it is not visible from Earth, opens up new opportunities for research. Experts say the samples returned by the probe could provide unprecedented insight into the formation and evolution of the Moon and solar system, answer questions about why the near and far sides of the Moon are so different from each other, and provide clues to how Life emerged on Earth.
Scientists warned that the mission was not yet complete because the sample container still needed to be transferred to the landing capsule, which was expected to return to Earth and arrive in the deserts of China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region around June 25 .
“Two intense stages remain: first, the docking of the ascent vehicle with the lunar orbiter, and then the launch to Earth to force it to leave lunar orbit and return safely to the planet,” the astronomers conclude.
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