China to Launch Chang'e 6 Mission to Collect First Samples from Far Side of Moon
Key Highlights :
China is set to launch its Chang'e 6 mission next year, a complex four-spacecraft mission that will attempt to collect the first samples from the far side of the moon. The mission is scheduled to launch in May 2024 on a Long March 5 rocket from Wenchang.
The mission, which is expected to last 53 days, will attempt to collect up to 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of lunar materials using a scoop and a drill. The primary target landing site is located around 43 degrees south latitude and 154 degrees west longitude on the far side of the moon, corresponding to a southern area of a huge impact crater known as Apollo basin.
Apollo basin lies within the vast South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, a colossal, ancient impact crater roughly 1,550 miles (2,500 kilometers) in diameter that covers almost a quarter of the moon's far side. The SPA basin impact is widely thought to have excavated material from below the lunar crust and could therefore hold vital clues about the history of the moon and the development of the solar system.
In order to communicate with teams back on Earth, China will first send out a satellite named Queqiao 2 to relay communications between Chang'e 6 and Earth.
This mission marks China's second lunar sample return mission, following the successful Chang'e 5 mission in 2020, which marked the first time in more than 40 years that samples had been collected from the moon.
China's Chang'e 7 and 8 missions are slated to follow in 2026 and 2028, respectively, and will focus on the moon's south pole. China is also working on a new moon rover for its 2026 mission to the lunar south pole.
The Chang'e 6 mission is an exciting undertaking that could provide further insight into the history of the moon and the development of the solar system. With China's successful track record, it is likely that the mission will be a success and yield valuable results.
