China is the first country in the world to plant its flag on the Moon’s far side and bring samples back to Earth.
The Chang’e-6 unmanned lunar probe from China is on its way back to Earth, carrying the first samples from the Moon’s far side. This is a significant achievement for Beijing’s space program.
The Chang’e-6 probe plants the Chinese flag on the Moon’s far side. (Photo: CNSA/EPA)
The probe landed on the Moon’s surface on Sunday, inside one of the oldest craters on the Earth’s satellite, known as the South Pole-Aitken Basin (SPA). It then spent two days collecting soil and rock samples using its drill and robotic arm.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) stated that after successfully collecting its samples, “a national flag of China carried by the lander was raised for the first time on the Moon’s far side.”
The CNSA confirmed that the probe is on its return journey, with its ascent module having “lifted off the lunar surface” and entered a predetermined orbit around the Moon.
Lunar surface image captured by the panoramic camera on the Chang’e-6 spacecraft. (Photo: AP).
This development has been welcomed by the scientific community.
Professor Martin Barstow from the University of Leicester noted, “This is a very important achievement.”
“Only the United States and Russia have retrieved samples from the Moon, landing and then taking off again. It demonstrates impressive capabilities within China’s space program. Taking off from the Moon is a technical achievement, but it’s even more challenging when done on its far side.”
The far side of the Moon, often referred to as the Dark Side of the Moon because it cannot be seen from Earth, is believed to provide new opportunities for research.
Experts say that the samples brought back by the probe could offer unprecedented insights into the formation and evolution of the Moon and the Solar System, answering questions about why the near and far sides of the Moon are so different, and providing clues about how Earth formed and supports life.
The combination of the lander and ascent vehicle of the Chang’e-6 probe on the Moon’s surface. The photo was taken by a mini rover after it landed. (Photo: CNSA/Xinhua/AP).
“I don’t know if they plan to share samples outside of China, but I hope they do, and we in the UK will have the opportunity to work on these samples. This would align well with our plans for sampling from Mars,” Professor Barstow added.
He expressed that there is still a tense phase ahead before complete success is achieved, as the ascent vehicle must be docked with the lunar orbiter before pushing the spacecraft back to Earth. Nevertheless, the current process has already been very successful.
Chinese scientists expect that the spacecraft will land back on Earth in the Inner Mongolia desert around June 25.
