Space travel
China launches most difficult mission to date to the moon
The unmanned lunar probe is intended to land on the far side of the moon and from there bring rock samples back to Earth for the first time. photo
© Huang Guochang/XinHua/dpa
After five successful trips to the Earth’s satellite, China has now started a particularly demanding mission. For the first time, rock samples from the “back side” of the moon are to be brought to Earth.
It is the Chinese’s sixth lunar mission since 2007. Most recently, “Chang’e 5” brought samples from the front of the moon to Earth for examination in 2020. Previously, in 2019, a rover, “Chang’e 4”, landed on the far side of the moon for the first time and explored the terrain there.
For the new mission, it is planned that the orbiter will initially enter a lunar orbit. The lowered lander then heads to the target area in the south polar Aitken Basin, where it is supposed to take samples.
Mission is expected to last around 53 days
The collected material is then transferred to the ascent module, which brings it back to the orbiter. Then the return flight to Earth begins. In total, the mission is expected to last around 53 days.
As the scientific magazine “Science” reports, the landing site is the largest and oldest impact crater on the moon. The basin therefore has a diameter of more than 2,500 kilometers and is eight kilometers deep. Scientists have long wanted to obtain rock samples from this region.
It is believed that the basin was formed by an asteroid impact. But how long ago was that? Some researchers believe the basin was formed 4.3 billion years ago, while others believe the impact occurred hundreds of millions of years later, according to Science.
As with previous missions, China is also flying instruments from other countries on “Chang’e-6”. The probe is carrying equipment and devices from France, Italy, Sweden and Pakistan.
China wants to send a manned mission to the moon by 2030
For China, the sixth successful lunar mission would also be a prestige success. Simply because in the recent past lunar probes from India, Israel, Japan and Russia did not reach their destination as planned.
In preparation for the mission, the People’s Republic has already placed a communications satellite into lunar orbit. This is necessary so that the probe can maintain contact with the control center on Earth, as it is supposed to land on the far side of the moon in the south.
China wants to send a manned mission to the moon by 2030. The Earth’s satellite has become interesting again for many nations because valuable raw materials are believed to be there.