Late in 2020, the Chinese lunar lander Chang’e 5 arrived on the Moon’s surface and got to work digging into the soil to collect samples of soil and minerals. Four years later, a new probe from the China National Space Administration has returned to the Moon and headed to the satellite’s dark side. What’s especially notable about these missions isn’t just the process of gathering material from the Moon’s surface — they’re also about bringing the samples back to Earth.
As the Associated Press reports, the main difference between Chang’e 5 and Chang’e 6 is where they’re collecting samples. The former focused on the light side of the moon; this latest one is venturing to the dark side. Among the mission’s goals is to see the differences in the soil composition of the Moon’s two sides, if any, exist.
It also feels like a precursor to China sending a crewed mission to the Moon, which the AP reminds us is a goal that they’ve set out to do by the year 2030. Missions to the Moon are becoming an increasingly international field; last week, Peru and Slovakia became the latest nations to sign the Artemis Accords, pledging fidelity to a course of exploring space peacefully.
Attempted Russian Moon Landing Ends in Crash
Luna-25 was Russia’s first lunar mission in decadesChang’e 6 launched on May 3 from China’s Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, located on the island of Hainan, and touched down on the lunar surface on June 1. Currently, it’s set to arrive back on Earth — lunar samples in tow — on June 25. And, for readers curious about the name of these missions, they take their name from the Chinese goddess associated with the Moon.
More Like This
This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.
