What To Know
- During the hover phase, the sensors then continued to analyze the surface to select a suitable place to land.
- Chang’e-6 also carried several scientific instruments to aid in the research, including a camera to capture high-definition images of the landing and sampling areas, a mineral spectral analysis instrument and a structure detector to analyze the soil beneath the moon’s surface.
- The mission also included several international payloads, including a French radon detector, a negative ion analyzer developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and an Italian laser corner reflector.
China‘s Chang’e-6 lunar mission recently marked a historic milestone by successfully landing on the far side of the Moona region that is still largely unexplored. Upon arrival, the mission began collecting samples to be sent back to Earth, cementing China’s position as a major player in space exploration. The probe is already on its way back.
A complex landing process
The descent, which began at an altitude of sixteen kilometers from the lunar surface, lasted approximately 900 secondstime for the lander to perform some maneuvers. An autonomous visual obstacle avoidance system was used to detect obstacles and select a safe landing area. When it came within two or three kilometers of the surface, the probe then entered its approach phase and its optical sensors scanned the landing area for obstacles. During the hover phase, the sensors then continued to analyze the surface to select a suitable place to land. Finally, at an altitude of less than thirty meters, the probe’s descent speed was reduced to two meters per second, allowing a soft landing. The vehicle finally touched down in the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, more precisely in an impact crater known as the Apollo basin. The entire process was facilitated by the Queqiao-2 relay satelliterecently positioned to ensure stable communication with mission controllers on Earth.
China’s Chang’e 6 lunar lander on the surface of the Moon shortly after its landing, as seen by the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) on June 2, 2024. Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)
Sampling on the Moon and Return to Earth
The Chang’e-6 mission aimed to collect samples for return to Earth. To do this, the lander had a drill for taking underground samples and a robotic arm to capture surface samples. In total, about 2.2 kg of rocks and samples were collected. Chang’e 6 then left last night (1:40 a.m. French time) towards our planet. The return is scheduled for June 25th. The samples will then be transported to a laboratory in Beijing for examination. They are expected to provide unique scientific data due to the region’s older geological history. Operations have already begun on site. This is the first time in human history that lunar samples have been recovered from the far side of the Moon.” , has declared Ye Peijian of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Chang’e-6 also carried several scientific instruments to aid in the research, including a camera to capture high-definition images of the landing and sampling areas, a mineral spectral analysis instrument and a structure detector to analyze the soil beneath the moon’s surface. The mission also included several international payloads, including a French radon detector, a negative ion analyzer developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and an Italian laser corner reflector.