China’s great success. The probe landed on the dark side of the Moon. For one purpose

The aim of the unmanned mission is to collect lunar rock samples from the far side of the Moon. They are believed to contain material from the lunar mantle ejected by the meteorite impact that created the Aitken crater.

For the first time, rocks from the far side of the Moon will reach Earth

Aitken is the largest impact crater on the Moon, but also one of the largest in the entire Solar System. It has a diameter of 2.5 thousand meters. kilometers and a depth of 13 kilometers. The Chinese mission began on May 3 and its goal is to deliver about two kilograms of research material to our planet, for the first time in history from the side of the Moon invisible from Earth.

The capsule with lunar material, including the oldest rocks from the Silver Globe, is scheduled to return on June 26. The BBC emphasizes that the landing was fraught with risk because it is very difficult to communicate with the object once it reaches the far side of the Moon. China is the only country to have done this. In 2019, the Chang’e-4 probe landed there.

During the Chang’e-6 landing, an autonomous obstacle avoidance system was used to automatically detect them. The operation was supported by the Queqiao-2 relay satellite. Chinese state media described the successful landing as a “historic moment.”

Scientist: Everyone is very excited

‘Everyone is very excited to see these rocks that no one has ever seen before,’ explains Professor John Pernet-Fisher from the University of Manchester. Most of the rocks collected so far are volcanic rocks, similar to those found in Iceland or Hawaii. But the material on the far side of the Moon may have a different chemical composition. – This would help us answer really important questions, including: such as how planets are formed, or where the water in the solar system comes from – added the professor.

The lunar material will be stored under special conditions to keep it in the best possible condition. Scientists from China will get the first chance to analyze the rocks, and later researchers from all over the world will be able to apply for this opportunity. China is planning three more unmanned missions this decade, the purpose of which will be to search for water on the Moon and test the possibility of establishing a permanent base there. Beijing’s broader strategy assumes that Chinese astronauts will land on the Moon around 2030.

Let us add that on Saturday, the first manned Starliner spacecraft is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida to the International Space Station (ISS). Meanwhile, a few minutes before launch, the mission was suspended for technical reasons. The next attempt can take place no earlier than in 24 hours.