CHINESE SPACECRAFT LANDED ON THE MOON’S FAR SIDE TO RETRIEVE LUNAR SAMPLES

Sun 02 June 2024:

China has successfully landed an uncrewed spacecraft on the far side of the moon, a significant milestone in its mission to collect the first rock and soil samples from this lunar hemisphere. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced that the Chang’e-6 spacecraft touched down in the South Pole-Aitken Basin at 6:23am Beijing time on Sunday, following a complex multi-stage landing.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has released images captured by the Chang’e-6 lander’s camera during its landing on the far side of the moon. pic.twitter.com/lOewdheLvs

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) June 2, 2024

Guided by a relay satellite, the mission, which involved numerous engineering innovations and high risks, aims to collect 2kg (4.4lb) of lunar material using a robot arm and a drill over three days. The samples will then be returned to Earth, with a landing in Inner Mongolia expected around June 25.

This mission marks China’s second successful landing on the moon’s far side, a feat no other country has achieved. The collected samples will provide new insights into the solar system’s formation and the differences between the moon’s far side and the side facing Earth. Chinese scientists will initially study the samples, followed by international researchers.

China previously retrieved 1.7kg (3.7lb) of material from the moon’s near side during the Chang’e-5 mission in 2020. The country plans three more uncrewed lunar missions this decade, with aspirations to have Chinese astronauts walk on the moon by around 2030.

Meanwhile, the US aims to return astronauts to the moon with NASA’s Artemis 3 mission, planned for 2026. However, these plans have faced delays due to technical issues and reliance on private sector rockets, including those by SpaceX. Additionally, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa canceled a private moon mission using SpaceX’s Starship, citing uncertainties in the rocket’s development.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

______________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22