China successfully landed an uncrewed spacecraft on the moon’s far side on Sunday – a major milestone in its lunar exploration program. The Chang’e-6 mission aims to retrieve the first-ever rock and soil samples from the moon’s dark hemisphere.
The Chang’e-6 spacecraft touched down in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, a large impact crater on the moon’s far side, at 6:23 Beijing time. This area is known for its challenging terrain, which includes deep and dark craters that complicate landing and communications. Despite these hurdles, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed the successful touchdown.
Challenges
Landing on the moon’s far side presents unique difficulties due to the lack of direct line-of-sight communication with Earth. Hence, the use of relay satellites to maintain contact is necessary. Neil Melville-Kenney, a technical officer at the European Space Agency who collaborated with China on one of the Chang’e-6 payloads, highlighted the complexities of automation and control in such conditions, particularly at high latitudes where long shadows can disorient landers.
The Chang’e-6 Mission
Launched on 3 May from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Centre using a Long March 5 rocket, Chang’e-6 reached lunar orbit roughly a week later. The spacecraft then adjusted its trajectory in preparation for the landing. This mission marks China’s fourth successful lunar landing and its second on the far side, a region that remains largely unexplored by other states.
Sampling the Lunar Surface
Equipped with a scoop and drill, the Chang’e-6 lander will collect approximately 2 kilograms of lunar material over two days. The collected samples will be stored in a rocket booster mounted on the lander. This booster will launch the samples back into lunar orbit, where they will meet with an orbiting spacecraft for the return journey to Earth. The samples are expected to land in China around 25 June.
The retrieved samples are expected to offer new insights into the moon’s 4.5-billion-year history and the formation of the solar system. By comparing material from the moon’s far side with that from the near side, scientists hope to expand on our understanding of lunar evolution and geological processes. The mission is also a critical step toward China’s broader lunar exploration goals, which include a manned mission by 2030 and the establishment of a lunar research base.
Global Aspirations
The United States, through its Artemis programme, plans to return astronauts to the moon by 2026 and is collaborating with partners including Canada, Europe and Japan. The Artemis program heavily relies on companies like SpaceX (which is developing the Starship rocket for future lunar missions).
China’s Future Plans
Following Chang’e-6, China plans to launch additional missions, such as Chang’e-7 in 2026 and Chang’e-8 around 2028, to further explore the moon’s South Pole.
