Launch and Destination
On May 3, China launched its Chang'e 6 lunar mission from Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan, southern China. If successful, Chang'e 6 will become the first mission to land on the far side of the Moon and return samples.
The Far Side of the Moon
The Moon's rotation is synchronized with its orbit around Earth, meaning that Earth-based observers only see one side of the Moon, known as the near side.
Exploration and landing missions to the far side face communication challenges, requiring lunar orbiters to relay communications between the lander and mission control on Earth. China has positioned a relay satellite, Queqiao, for Chang'e 6 and launched another, Queqiao 2, in March 2023.
Mission Objectives
The Chang'e 6 mission consists of a lunar orbiter, a lander, an ascent vehicle, and an Earth return module. The lander, carrying the ascent vehicle, is planned to touch down within the Apollo Crater, part of the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, one of the largest impact craters in the solar system.
The SPA basin is rich in ancient rocks that hold clues to the Moon's early history and evolution. The lander will collect approximately 2 kilograms of lunar soil and rock, including samples scraped from the surface and drilled up to 2 meters below.
Sample Return
The samples will be transferred to the Earth return module attached to the orbiter. The orbiter will then return to Earth, releasing the return module for re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. The entire process from launch to sample return is expected to take approximately 53 days.
China's Lunar Ambitions
Chang'e 6 is part of China's ambitious lunar exploration program, which aims to land a crewed mission on the Moon by 2030.
In the 2030s, China plans to build a manned outpost near the Moon's south pole called the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) with cooperation from Russia and other international partners.
China has been testing technologies for ILRS, such as launching the Queqiao 2 relay satellite and two spacecraft, Tiandu 1 and Tiandu 2, in March 2023, which are conducting communication and navigation experiments near the Moon. Space officials say such work will help shape the design of the ILRS and related infrastructure.
The Moon Race
China's lunar ambitions mirror those of NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a crewed base near the lunar south pole. NASA hopes to fly astronauts around the Moon in 2024 on Artemis 2 and land a crew on the Artemis 3 mission in 2026.