The first rocks taken from the far side of the Moon have arrived on Earth. The Chinese mission Chang’e-6 has successfully completed the recoverylanding at Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia, on June 25. The rocks were collected using a shovel and drill, and weigh about 2 kilograms.
A significant milestone for Chinese space exploration
The mission Chang’e-6 was launched on May 3, reaching lunar orbit on June 1. The lander landed in Apollo Crater, within the South Pole-Aitken Basin, on June 4. The reentry capsule, one of the mission’s four modules, brought the precious cargo back to Earth.
China is the first and only country to have touched the ground on the far side of the Moon. The mission Chang’e-6 It is the second to explore this unknown part of the satellite, following Chang’e-4 in January 2019, which carried the still-active Yutu 2 rover.
The future of Chinese lunar exploration with Chang’e-6
With the upcoming Chang’e-7 and Chang’e-8 missions, scheduled for 2026 and 2028 respectively, China aims to collect data to build a lunar outpost. The Chang’e-8 missionin particular, will test technologies for the construction of a lunar base near the water-rich South Pole, planned for 2030.
The Chang’e-6 mission represents a significant step forward for China’s space exploration and understanding of the Moon. What discoveries could we make? with the next missions? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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