China launches Chang'e-6 mission to collect samples from the back of the Moon

On Friday, China launched the challenging and ambitious Chang'e-6 mission to collect the first-ever samples from the back of the Moon.

Here's What We Know

The 57-metre-long Long March 5 lifted off from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Centre on 3 May at 11:30 a.m. (EET), launching Chang'e-6, weighing approximately 8,200 kilograms, into orbit.

The mission is aimed not only at collecting the first ever samples from the back of the Moon, but also at studying its surface and internal structure. Chang'e-6's purpose is to enter the lunar orbit and land in Apollo Crater to collect materials.

One of the key aspects of the mission is the use of advanced technology to ensure communication between the spacecraft and the Earth. China has already launched a specialised relay satellite, Queqiao-2, which will ensure uninterrupted communication during the mission. After landing, the spacecraft will collect up to 2,000 grams of lunar samples using a drill that can go down to a depth of two metres. They will be loaded into special containers, and later Chang'e-6 will re-enter the lunar orbit.

The previous successful missions of Chang'e-5 and Chang'e-4 give hope that the task will eventually be successful. The samples collected during this mission should reveal new aspects of lunar geological processes.

Source: Space News