China has launched the Chang’e-6 spacecraft, marking a significant milestone in its lunar exploration program. This mission aims to collect samples from the far side of the moon, which is not visible from Earth, and bring them back for scientific analysis. The Chang’e-6 probe was launched aboard a Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan Province. The spacecraft consists of an orbiter, a lander, an ascender, and a re-entry module. After reaching lunar orbit, the orbiter and re-entry module will remain in orbit, while the lander and ascender will separate and land on the moon’s surface. The lander-ascender combination will use a drill and a mechanical arm to gather lunar rocks and soil. Once the surface operations are completed, the ascender will return to lunar orbit and dock with the re-entry module, transferring the samples for the journey back to Earth.
India is also planning a lunar sample-return mission, Chandrayaan-4, which is scheduled for launch in 2027. This mission aims to collect samples from the Moon’s south pole region. The Chandrayaan-4 mission will involve sending a lander and an ascender to the Moon’s surface to collect samples. The samples will then be transferred to a re-entry module and returned to Earth.
In addition to China and India, other countries such as the United States and the former Soviet Union have successfully returned lunar samples to Earth. However, no country has ever obtained samples from the far side of the moon, making the Chang’e-6 mission a particularly groundbreaking endeavor.
The Chang’e-6 and Chandrayaan-4 missions are important steps in advancing our understanding of the moon and its resources. These missions will provide valuable scientific data and contribute to the global effort to explore and utilize the resources of our solar system.
