China's Chang'e 6 lunar probe made history on June 25, 2024, when it brought back soil samples from the Moon's far side. The feat marks the first return of materials from the unexplored lunar region.
The Chang'e 6 spacecraft is named after the Chinese Moon goddess. It launched from the Hainan province in South China on May 3, 2024. The spacecraft's month-long journey ended on June 2, 2024, with a picture-perfect landing at the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin. The approximately 1,600 miles (2,500 km) wide and 5 miles (8 km) deep SPA basin is located on the Moon's far side. It is one of the largest and oldest impact craters in our Solar System.
The lander's first task was to plant China's national flag on the crater's surface. Measuring about 12 by 8 inches (300 mm by 200 mm), the flag was made entirely from basalt.
"So we thought that, since this material actually exists in large quantities on the Moon, how can we use it as a high-performance inorganic fiber?" said Cao Genyang, a professor at Wuhan Textile University.
Next, the Chang'e 6 used its drill and robotic arm to collect rocks and soil samples from around its landing site. The lander also captured high-quality photos of the lunar surface. On June 4, 2024, the sample-carrying rocket lifted off from the lunar surface and entered the Moon's orbit. There, it docked with the Chang'e 6 orbiter and transferred the samples to the return capsule for the long journey back to Earth.
The capsule, carrying about four pounds (two kg) of lunar material, landed safely in the grasslands of Inner Mongolia on June 25, 2024. It was retrieved and transported to the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing. Chinese officials plan to keep a portion of the soil and rocks collected. The rest will be distributed to researchers in China and around the world for analysis.
Scientists expect the materials to reveal information about the evolution of the Moon's far side. The samples could also provide insights into why the near and far sides are so different. They could possibly even shed light on the early history of the solar system.
China next plans to explore the Moon's south pole. The upcoming uncrewed missions, Chang'e 7 (launching in 2026) and Chang'e 8 (launching in 2028), will focus on searching the area for water and other vital resources. Future plans include sending crewed missions to the Moon in 2030, and even building a permanent south pole base.
Resources: Space.com, theguardian.com, LiveScience.com
