China's Chang'e-6 triumphs with historic moon landing
The Chinese space probe Chang'e-6 has landed on the far side of the Moon, marking a significant achievement for the China National Space Administration. During this successful mission, the probe collected soil samples and unfurled the Chinese flag.
The Chinese space probe Chang'e-6 began its mission on 3 May 2024, and less than a month later it reached the far side of the Moon. Its landing site was located in the southern part of the Apollo Crater in the South Pole-Aitken Basin region.
"Mission accomplished! #ChangE6 has taken off from lunar surface after finishing the rapid intelligent sampling work & displaying China’s national flagfor the first time on the far side of the moon. An unprecedented feat in human lunar exploration history!!" commented Hua Chunying, Deputy Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China.
Experts at Phys.org highlight the tremendous advancements of the Chinese space program. The program's goal is to send humans to the Moon before the end of this decade, potentially making China the second country after the United States to achieve this milestone.
Success of the Chinese space probe
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has acknowledged the landing of the Chinese space probe Chang'e-6 on the far side of the Moon as a major success, which was also celebrated on the lunar surface.
Before returning, the Chang'e-6 probe unfurled the Chinese flag. An animation published by the Chinese news agency Xinhua showed a small flag made of special composite materials being extended by the lunar lander's arm, although it was not planted into the Moon's surface. This gesture confirms the mission's success and showcases the nation's capabilities.
The first such mission on the Moon
The Chang'e-6 probe collected approximately 2 kg of rock and soil samples and placed them in a container inside its ascending element. Unlike previous missions by the United States and the Soviet Union, this time, samples were collected from the far side of the Moon.
The container was transferred to the return capsule, which began its journey to Earth. The capsule with the lunar rock and soil samples is expected to land in the deserts of China's Inner Mongolia region on 25 June.
