Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Mohsin
Key components for China's Chang'e-6 lunar far side sample return mission have arrived at Wenchang spaceport, marking a significant step in the mission's preparation.
The last Moon landing was successfully achieved by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with its Chandrayaan-3 probe in August, 2023. However, unlike Chandrayaan-3, CNSA's Chang'e-6 probe will not only face the challenge of landing on Moon, but also bringing back the samples that it would collect from the lunar surface.
The 8,200-kilogram probe is set to launch around May this year on a Long March 5 rocket. The spacecraft aims to land on the far side of the moon, collect samples, and transport them back to Earth.
Transported to Hainan island via Antonov An-124 and Xi'an Y-20 transport planes, the components of the probe were then transferred to the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center for assembly and testing.
The last Moon landing was successfully achieved by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with its Chandrayaan-3 probe in August, 2023. However, unlike Chandrayaan-3, CNSA's Chang'e-6 probe will not only face the challenge of landing on Moon, but also bringing back the samples that it would collect from the lunar surface.
According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the Chang'e-6 mission is scheduled to launch within the first half of 2024, with indications pointing towards a May launch.
Building on the success of the 2020 Chang'e-5 mission, Chang'e-6 seeks to collect samples from the far side of the moon. The mission will require the support of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite for communication due to the moon's tidal locking.
The Chang'e-6 mission will carry international payloads, including instruments from France (DORN), Sweden with ESA support (NILS), and an Italian passive laser retro-reflector. The ICUBE-Q cubesat for Pakistan is also part of the mission.
Samples collected by Chang'e-6 will initially be available to Chinese scientists before opening to international research proposals. The mission aligns with China's broader lunar exploration goals, including establishing a permanent lunar base as part of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) program.