On June 25, China became the first country to bring soil and rock samples from the dark side of the Moon back to Earth. The Chang’e 6 automated mission successfully landed in China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region at 1:07 p.m. Hanoi time, marking a significant milestone in lunar exploration.
The Chang’e 6 spacecraft consists of four modules: the lunar lander, the sample transport compartment, the orbiter, and the orbital launch vehicle. It was launched on May 3 and reached lunar orbit five days later. The lander collected about 2 kg of lunar samples using shovels and drills inside the Apollo crater in the South Pole Aitken (SPA) depression on June 1. These samples were then transferred to the orbital launch vehicle and returned to Earth on June 21, with the return capsule successfully landing on June 25.
The new samples could provide valuable insights into this less explored area of the moon, including questions about its early history such as how it formed. Scientists are eagerly studying these samples to gain a better understanding of its history and potentially uncover clues about life’s origin on Earth.
China plans to continue exploring the moon with future missions like Chang’e 7 and Chang’e 8 planned for 2026 and 2028 respectively. Chang’e 8 will be testing technology needed to establish a lunar base near the ice-rich south pole in the coming decades. This highlights China’s commitment to space exploration and scientific discovery as they continue to contribute valuable information to our understanding of our solar system and beyond.
In conclusion, China has achieved another remarkable feat by bringing soil and rock samples from
