China’s ambitious Chang’e 6 mission will make history this weekend as it attempts to land on the moon’s far side and collect precious lunar samples. The mission, launched on May 3, 2024, is part of China’s ongoing lunar exploration program and goal to unlock secrets about our natural satellite Moon.
The Journey So Far
Chang’e 6 mission, named after the Chinese moon goddess, has been diligently orbiting the moon since its arrival about five days after launch. The Chang’e 6 spacecraft has been continously studying potential landing sites on the lunar far side, preparing for its landing attempt. James Head, of the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Science at Brown University in Rhode Island, has been working with Chang’e 6 mission.
The Far Side Mystery
The far side of the moon, remains largely unexplored and is also known as the “dark side”. Unlike the near side that faces Earth, the far side is rugged, with vast impact basins and ancient craters. Chang’e 6 is targeting the Apollo crater within the South Pole-Aitken basin. Apollo crater is one of the largest impact structures in the solar system. Scientists believe that samples from this Apollo crater region could provide valuable insights into the moon’s early history and evolution.
The Landing Plan
Chang’e 6’s planned landing date is Sunday, June 2, 2024, Beijing time (which corresponds to Saturday evening, June 1, for North American observers). Upon landing, the lander will extend a robotic arm to scoop up rocks and soil from the lunar surface. Additionally, a drill onboard will bore into the lunar subsurface, collecting material from up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) underground.
Sample Collection
The mission aims to collect approximately 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of lunar material. Once gathered, these precious samples will be stored in the lander’s ascent module. The ascent module will then launch from the moon’s surface and meet with the mission’s lunar orbiter component. The samples will be transferred to a reentry module, designed to protect them during the burning reentry through Earth’s atmosphere.
Return Journey of Chang’e 6
If all goes according to plan, the samples will touch down on Earth on June 25, 2024 (Beijing time). Scientists eagerly await the opportunity to study these lunar treasures. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) will make the samples available to the scientific community for research purposes.
Chang’e 6’s successful landing and sample return would mark a significant milestone. First spacecraft which land on Moon’s South pole was India’s Chandrayaan-3. After landing it will be not only the second probe to land on the far side of the moon, but it will also be the first mission to bring lunar samples back from this enigmatic region.
