A Chinese spacecraft successfully landed [1] on the far side of the moon Sunday, aiming to collect soil and rock samples that could unveil the mysteries of this less-explored lunar region. The landing occurred at 6:23 a.m. Beijing time in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, a massive crater, according to the China National Space Administration. Purported footage from a Twitter post shows the alleged landing:
📸Marvelous landing video of Chang'e 6 on the far side of the moon. Full HD:https://t.co/wcHp6Q42Sk [2] pic.twitter.com/XY0jMIKVtL [3]
— CNSA Watcher (@CNSAWatcher) June 2, 2024 [4]
This mission is the sixth installment of the Chang’e moon exploration program, named after a Chinese moon goddess. It marks the second attempt to return samples, following the Chang’e 5 mission, which brought back samples from the moon’s near side in 2020.
China’s ambitious space program is part of a broader competition with the U.S. and other nations like Japan and India. China has successfully established its own space station and regularly sends crews there. Now, the nation aims to land a person on the moon before 2030, potentially becoming the second country to achieve this milestone after the United States. Meanwhile, the U.S. plans to return astronauts to the moon by 2026.
However, American efforts have faced setbacks. Private-sector rocket launches have seen delays, and Boeing’s first astronaut flight was postponed due to last-minute computer issues. Similarly, a Japanese billionaire canceled his moon orbit plans due to uncertainties with SpaceX’s mega rocket development.
In this mission, China’s lunar lander will use a mechanical arm and a drill to gather up to 4.4 pounds of surface and underground material over two days. An ascender atop the lander will then transport the samples to a module orbiting the moon. These samples will eventually return to Earth in Inner Mongolia around June 25.
Missions to the moon’s far side are challenging due to its position, requiring a relay satellite for communication and dealing with rugged terrain. The South Pole-Aitken Basin, a 4 billion-year-old impact crater, offers a unique opportunity to study the moon’s early history, potentially providing insights into the materials from deep below the lunar surface.