BEIJING – China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe landed in Inner Mongolia, marking the first mission to return samples from the moon’s far side. The Chang’e-6 moon probe was launched on May 3 on a Long March 5 rocket from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on the southern island of Hainan.
The samples will be transported by air to Beijing for analysis, according to CCTV.
The reentry capsule touched down at 2:07 p.m. Beijing time (0607 GMT), as reported by state broadcaster CCTV. It carried lunar soil collected from the moon’s South Pole-Aitken Basin after a successful landing.
Zhang Kejian, head of the China National Space Administration, declared the Chang’e-6 lunar mission successful soon after the capsule landed. Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the mission as a “landmark achievement” in China’s pursuit of space and scientific excellence.
Scientists eagerly await the findings to determine if the planned 2kg of samples were successfully returned. These samples hold potential to unveil crucial insights into the formation of Earth, the moon, and the solar system.
The samples retrieved from the Chang’e-5 mission revealed new minerals and offered more precise estimates of the moon’s geological age.
The successful return of the Chang’e-6 moon probe underscores China’s commitment to space exploration. This achievement reflects China’s strategic goals to advance scientific research and innovation in lunar exploration.
The successful landing and retrieval of the probe highlight China’s adeptness in conducting complex space missions.
Moreover, it showcases their ability to overcome challenges in lunar exploration with precision and innovation.
This achievement underscores China’s dedication to space exploration, aiming to enhance scientific research and innovation.
Moreover, the data from Chang’e-6 will significantly contribute to understanding the Moon’s geology.
Additionally, it will pave the way for future crewed missions to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon.
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