China’s Chang’e-6 mission has successfully landed on the far side of the moon, marking a significant achievement in lunar exploration. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced that the lander touched down softly at 6:23 p.m. Eastern Time on June 1 (2223 UTC). The landing site, a southern portion of Apollo crater within the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin, is strategically chosen for its scientific potential.
A Critical Step for Lunar Sample Collection
The primary goal of the Chang’e-6 mission is to collect unique lunar samples and return them to Earth for detailed analysis. This mission addresses a high-priority objective identified by U.S. decadal surveys: obtaining samples from the SPA Basin. The successful landing is a crucial first step in this ambitious endeavor.
Advanced Landing Techniques
The Chang’e-6 lander employed a sophisticated 7,500-newton-thrust engine to decelerate in lunar orbit and initiate its descent. At an altitude of 2.5 kilometers, rapid positional adjustments were made, followed by a hovering phase at approximately 100 meters for fine hazard avoidance. Using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and optical cameras, the lander identified a safe spot for landing.
Chang’e-6 Mission in Context
Chang’e-6 represents China’s fourth successful lunar landing out of four attempts, and the second on the far side of the moon. It follows the successful landings of Japan’s SLIM in January and Intuitive Machines’ IM-1 Odysseus lander in February, making it the third lunar landing of 2024.
Sample Collection and Initial Operations
Following the landing, initial checks of the lander’s systems will be conducted before sample collection begins. The mission aims to collect up to 2,000 grams of lunar samples using both a scoop for surface regolith and a drill for subsurface material. These samples are expected to be sent into lunar orbit within about 48 hours, although the exact timeline has not been published by Chinese space authorities.
Insights from Chang’e-6
The samples collected by Chang’e-6 are expected to provide invaluable insights into the moon’s geological history. Xu Yi, an assistant professor at the Macau University of Science and Technology, highlighted the significance of these samples in understanding volcanic activity differences between the lunar nearside and farside. The analysis could reveal material from the lunar mantle, offering clues about the moon’s composition and evolution, and by extension, the early solar system.
Next Steps in the Mission
The next phase involves launching an ascent vehicle with the collected samples into lunar orbit. This vehicle will rendezvous and dock with the waiting Chang’e-6 orbiter. The samples will be transferred to a reentry capsule, which will return to Earth around June 25, targeting a landing in Inner Mongolia’s grasslands.
Support and International Collaboration
The Queqiao-2 relay satellite facilitates communication with the far side of the moon. The Chang’e-6 lander also carries international payloads, including Sweden’s Negative Ions at the Lunar Surface (NILS) payload, France’s Detection of Outgassing RadoN (DORN) instrument, and an Italian passive laser retro-reflector.
Future Lunar Missions
The Chang’e-6 mission is part of China’s broader lunar exploration program, which includes the Chang’e-7 and Chang’e-8 missions planned for 2026 and 2028, respectively. These missions aim to establish a permanent lunar base under the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) program in the 2030s, with several countries and organizations participating.
Chang’e-6’s successful landing and sample collection mark a significant milestone in lunar exploration, promising new scientific discoveries and advancing our understanding of the moon and the early solar system.
