“A historic moment”: the Chinese probe Chang’e-6 successfully landed on the far side of the Moon

A new success for the Chinese space company. XinHua – Jin Liwang

The mission, launched on May 3, aims to collect 2 kg of lunar materials to bring them back to Earth at the end of June.

The Chinese Chang’e-6 space probe landed on the far side of the Moon on Sunday, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced.< /p>

📸Marvelous landing video of Chang'e 6 on the far side of the moon. Full HD:https://t.co/wcHp6Q42Sk pic.twitter.com/XY0jMIKVtL

— CNSA Watcher (@CNSAWatcher) June 2, 2024

This moon landing comes at a time when many countries are once again embarking on the conquest of the Moon, while scientists hope that minerals containing water can be exploited to fuel long-term astronaut missions. duration.

Congratulations! Chang'e-6 has successfully landed on the moon! The first lunar sample collection mission on the far side of the moon in human history is about to begin! 🌕 pic.twitter.com/T5jJsrkiyk

— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) June 2, 2024

Many innovations

The Chang’e-6 probe landed as planned in the South Pole-Aitken basin, the agency said in a press release published on its website. Mission "includes many engineering innovations and presents significant risks and challenges", CNSA said.

Chang’e-6 probe carries 4 international scientific payloads, including 3 installed on the #lander:
The #DORN (Detection of Outgassing Radon) from @CNES; #NILS (The Negative Ions at the Lunar Surface) from @esa; and a retroreflector from #Italy. pic.twitter.com/97CwAAIpmD

— Wu Lei (@wulei2020) June 2, 2024

“The equipment carried by the Chang’e-6 probe will operate as planned and carry out scientific exploration missions.” This is China's second mission to the far side of the moon, a region no other country has ever reached.

Unraveling mysteries of the solar system

The site could “hold clues to many mysteries surrounding the moon and the solar system”,"China Daily enthuses. For the Chinese media, this is a “historic moment”, as the mission could “bring about countless positive benefits to scientific research”.

The far side of the Moon is permanently located on the opposite side from Earth, making communications and lunar landings more difficult. The Chang’e-6 mission was launched on May 3 and reached the vicinity of the Moon a week later. It aims to collect 2 kg of lunar material, which it should return to Earth around June 25.