Science Mission Recap: China's Chang'e-6 Returns Far Side Moon Samples to Earth

Science Mission Recap: China's Chang'e-6 Returns Far Side Moon Samples to Earth

China's Chang'e-6 probe has made history after completing its 53-day mission on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, becoming the first spacecraft to successfully retrieve and return precious samples from the mysterious far side of the Moon and bringing mankind closer to understanding our enigmatic celestial neighbor.

The return capsule touched down at the designated landing site in the Siziwang Banner of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 14:07 (Beijing Time) Tuesday, with the China National Space Administration (CNSA) declaring the mission a complete success, marking another remarkable achievement in China's space exploration endeavors.

The momentous Chang'e-6 mission was considered one of the most complex and challenging undertakings in China's space exploration efforts to date, as the country attempted to complete a feat never dared before.

Consisting of an orbiter, a returner, a lander and an ascender, the probe was launched from the tropical southern island province of Hainan on May 3, 2024, with the mission overcoming many obstacles during its key stages, including completing the near-moon braking maneuver to enter lunar orbit and seeing the separation of the lander-ascender combination and the orbiter-returner combination. All went as planned.

Supported by the Queqiao-2 relay satellite—put into position shortly before the mission to aid communication with the 'dark side' of the Moon—the lander-ascender combination landed at the designated lunar landing area in the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin on June 2 and began its pivotal sampling work.

After two days on the lunar surface, the ascender took off from the moon and entered lunar orbit. A further two days later, it completed rendezvous and docking with the orbiter-returner combination and carefully transferred the precious cargo to the return vehicle. The ascender then separated from the combination and later landed on the moon under the guidance of the ground control team.

The orbiter-returner combination then spent 13 days in lunar orbit, awaiting the right window of opportunity to make its return to Earth. After completing two Moon-Earth transfer maneuvers and one orbital correction, the returner separated from the orbiter and began its journey back to Earth, culminating in Tuesday's historic touchdown.

Video Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)

Duration: 2 minutes

Release Date: June 25, 2024

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