China's Chang'e-6 mission makes history with the moon landing
Chinese space probe Chang'e-6 has completed its mission by landing on the far side of the Moon, which is not visible from Earth. Its research capsule, tasked with collecting lunar soil samples, safely reached the surface of the Silver Globe. International media, citing Xinhua agency reports, reported on this successful landing, which took place at night.
10:16 AM EDT, June 2, 2024
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed that the probe's lander, Chang'e-6, reached the designated area on the far side of the Moon. This success was announced during the night from Saturday to Sunday. The landing site was the southern part of the Apollo Crater, located in the South Pole-Aitken Basin impact region. The primary objective of this mission was to collect lunar soil samples.
First time in history
The Chang'e-6 mission began on May 3, and its primary goal is to bring about 4 pounds of research material back to Earth. If achieved, it will be the first time in history that samples from the far side of the Moon will be delivered to our planet. The probe was launched into orbit using the Chang Zheng 5 (Long March 5) launch system, which took off from the Wenchang Space Center in China.
It is planned that the capsule with lunar soil samples will land in China on June 24th.
USA, Russia, and China
Various news agencies remind us that if the mission is successful, China will become the third country in history, after the Soviet Union and the United States, to have transported lunar samples to Earth. However, they will be the first country to deliver research material from the far side of the Moon, which is not visible from Earth. It is worth noting that China's first human-crewed space mission occurred in 2003.
