China's Chang'e-6 Mission Successfully Retrieves Lunar Samples
China's Chang'e-6 mission has successfully retrieved the first lunar samples from the Moon's dark side, marking a significant achievement for the country's space program. Launched on May 3rd, the mission consisted of four modules: an orbiter, a lander, a small rocket, and a reentry capsule. The lander touched down in the Apollo Crater on June 1st, its primary mission being to collect and drill lunar samples from the dark side and transfer them to the rocket for launch into orbit. The samples arrived back on Earth on June 25th, landing as planned on a grassy field in Inner Mongolia, according to Space.com.
The Chang'e-6 Lander's Uncertain Future
While the mission's sample return was a resounding success, the fate of the Chang'e-6 lander, which remains on the Moon, is uncertain. The lander carried various instruments, including a panoramic camera and a small rover. Recent information regarding its status has come from the French space agency CNES, which designed the radon detector, DORN, for the mission. "As planned, DORN ceased operations shortly before the rocket took off from the lunar surface while the lander remained silent," CNES stated.
The Effects of Rocket Launch and the Absence of Heating
The rocket's launch, while successful, likely damaged the lander, although the spacecraft might have captured images of the event. All activities, including the automatic deployment of the rover and the lander's imaging, were completed before the rocket's launch, including the activation of another French instrument designed to detect previously undiscovered charged particles on the lunar surface.
Any activities carried out after the rocket launch were halted as darkness descended upon the Apollo Crater. Unlike the Chang'e-3 and Chang'e-4 landers, which are still operational in the bright and dark regions of the Moon, respectively, Chang'e-6 did not carry a radioactive isotope heater necessary for long-term operations. This heater is crucial for surviving the frigid temperatures of the lunar night. Nightfall in the Apollo Crater began on June 11th, and the Sun will rise again on June 26th.
The Unknown Fate of the Sample-Carrying Rocket
Meanwhile, the rocket carrying the lunar samples to the orbiter has also ceased operations. Chinese space agency officials have not disclosed the rocket's fate, but it is likely that it crashed onto the Moon after docking with the orbiter and transferring the samples. The absence of a signal from the rocket suggests it was intentionally steered to impact the Moon.
China's Continued Lunar Exploration
China seems to be adopting a similar sample retrieval process to that used in the Chang'e-5 mission, which brought lunar samples from the Moon's bright side back to Earth in late 2020. The reentry capsule and its contained samples were transported to Beijing on June 26th. The samples will be promptly transferred to a dedicated facility for storage, analysis, and distribution.
The relay satellite, Queqiao-2, which coordinated the dark side sampling mission, will continue to orbit the Moon. This satellite will support the current Chang'e-4 mission and the Chang'e-7 mission, targeting the Moon's south pole, planned for 2026.
Summary
China's Chang'e-6 mission achieved a remarkable feat by successfully retrieving the first lunar samples from the Moon's dark side. The lander, however, may have suffered damage during the rocket launch and is now facing the harsh lunar night without a heater. The fate of the sample-carrying rocket is unknown, but it likely crashed onto the Moon after transferring the samples to the orbiter. China's space program continues to make significant strides in lunar exploration with its future missions aiming for the Moon's south pole.