China probe lands on Moon’s far side successfully
China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe made a successful landing on the far side of the Moon on Sunday, marking a significant achievement in the country’s space program. The probe touched down in the immense South Pole-Aitken Basin, one of the largest known impact craters in the solar system.
The landing process was a technically complex maneuver, as the Chang’e-6 had to descend from its orbit about 200 kilometers (124 miles) above the Moon to scour the surface for a suitable landing site. Huang Wu, an official at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, explained the challenges involved:
“The (descent to a lower) orbit carried a few risks, so we needed precise control procedures to put (the probe) onto its preset trajectory.”
Once the landing site was identified, the probe had to rapidly reduce its relative speed to the Moon from its orbital velocity to zero within just 15 minutes. This required a significant amount of propellant, approximately half of the probe’s entire weight, as Huang Wu described:
“We had to rapidly reduce the probe’s relative speed to the Moon… to zero within 15 minutes, requiring a huge amount of propellant, basically half the probe’s entire weight.”
The intricate landing maneuver involved several critical stages:
- Descending from a higher orbit to a lower orbit close to the lunar surface
- Identifying a suitable landing site while in the lower orbit
- Rapidly decelerating to match the Moon’s surface velocity
- Executing a controlled descent and touchdown on the far side of the Moon
The successful landing of the Chang’e-6 probe on the rarely explored far side of the Moon sets the stage for the next phase of its mission: sample collection and launch preparation.
Now that the Chang’e-6 probe has successfully landed on the far side of the Moon, its next mission is to collect lunar samples from the South Pole-Aitken Basin. This region holds great scientific importance as it is one of the largest and oldest impact craters in the solar system, and the material collected from here could provide valuable insights into the formation and early history of the Moon.
The sample collection process will involve two methods. First, the probe will use a drill to collect samples from beneath the lunar surface, potentially offering access to material that has been shielded from the harsh space environment for billions of years. Secondly, a robotic arm on the lander will be used to scoop up surface samples, allowing scientists to study the chemical and physical properties of the lunar regolith (soil) in this region.
According to the China National Space Administration, the sample collection process is expected to be completed within two days. Once the samples are secured, the probe will prepare for the next critical phase of its mission: the unprecedented launch from the far side of the Moon.
Unlike previous lunar missions that have launched from the near side of the Moon, the Chang’e-6 will attempt to launch its return vehicle from the far side, a feat that has never been achieved before. This will involve a complex series of maneuvers, including:
- Transferring the collected samples to the return vehicle
- Precisely timing the launch window to ensure a successful orbit insertion
- Executing a powerful launch to escape the Moon’s gravitational pull
- Adjusting the trajectory for a safe return to Earth
If successful, the Chang’e-6 mission will not only provide valuable scientific data but will also demonstrate China’s technological prowess in lunar exploration. The samples returned from the far side of the Moon could help answer fundamental questions about the formation and evolution of the Earth-Moon system and the early solar system itself.
