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Chang’e-6 lunar probe ends mission this Tuesday (June 4); solidifies Chinese position in lunar exploration
The Chinese lunar probe Chang’e-6 managed to fulfill its mission by taking off back to Earth with the first samples ever collected from the far side of the Moon, in this Tuesday (June 4, 2024). The unprecedented feat highlights China’s growing capacity as a space superpower.
The Chang’e-6 mission collected approximately 2 kg of lunar sediments and rocks and performed a precise launch of the lunar soil. The probe’s estimated arrival time on Earth is 3 weeks, with an expected landing in the Inner Mongolia region (China), around June 25th. The information is from CNN.
According to the CNSA statement (China National Space Administration), the probe began its 53-day journey on May 3, successfully landing in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, place permanently facing the opposite side of the Earth. The region is of particular scientific interest, as its composition offers new perspectives on the history and evolution of the Moon.
At the time of takeoff, China also became the first country to raise its national flag on the far side of the Moon. The symbolic gesture not only marks the country’s presence on the satellite, but also points to the future use of lunar materials in construction on the lunar surface, as explained by Zhou Changyi, engineer at Chang’e-6.
With successful delivery of samples, China builds leverage in realizing strategic and scientific benefits in expanded lunar exploration. The mission also serves as preparation for China’s ambitious plans to establish a lunar research base and send astronauts to the satellite by 2030, reinforcing its position as a dominant space power.
Watch the video (13s):
Update: we now have visual confirmation that the Chang’e-6 ascent module, with its lunar samples, has blasted off from the surface of the Moon!
Credit: CNSA pic.twitter.com/nZ5nFuEIho
—Paul Byrne (@ThePlanetaryGuy) June 4, 2024
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