Builds on China’s previous successes in lunar exploration.
China made history on May 2, 2024 by launching the first mission to retrieve samples from the far side of the moon.
Expected to collect up to 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of lunar material.
Far side of the moon is unique due to lack of Earth's tides and magnetic fields.
The Chang’e-6 lunar probe was launched from Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site using a Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket.
China made history on May 2, 2024, by launching the first mission to retrieve samples from the far side of the moon. The Chang'e-6 lunar probe was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan Province using a Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket.
If successful, this mission will mark a significant achievement for China's space program and scientific community. It is expected to collect up to 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of lunar material from the far side of the moon, which has not been explored extensively due to its lack of direct communication with Earth.
The Chang'e-6 mission builds on China's previous successes in lunar exploration, including the Chang'e-5 mission that brought back samples from the near side of the moon in late 2023. The far side of the moon is particularly interesting to scientists because it has not been influenced by Earth's tides and magnetic fields, making it a unique environment for studying lunar geology and potential resources.
The launch was widely covered by media outlets around the world, with many hailing it as a major milestone in space exploration. However, some experts have raised concerns about the lack of transparency and diversity in China's space program and its motivations for lunar exploration.
Despite these concerns, the Chang'e-6 mission represents an important step forward in our understanding of the moon and our ability to explore beyond Earth. It is a reminder that scientific discovery knows no borders or political affiliations, and that collaboration and openness are essential for advancing knowledge and human progress.
China is launching its next robotic moon mission, Chang’e 6, on May 3, 2024.
The lunar orbiter will send down the lander and ascender to collect up to 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of lunar material from the far side of the moon.
China launched Queqiao-2 satellite in March 2024 as a communications relay for Chang’e 6 mission and other lunar endeavors.
Ge Ping, deputy director of the Center of Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering for the China National Space Administration, praised Chang’e 6 for achieving breakthroughs in moon orbit design, intelligent sampling, takeoff and ascent technologies, and automatic sample-return on the far side of the moon.
