Chang’e-6: China’s Lunar Sample Mission Brings Back Nearly 2kg of Moon Rocks

China's Chang'e-6 mission successfully returned with 1,935.3 grams of lunar samples from the Moon's far side. The CNSA reports unique characteristics in the samples, which are expected to provide valuable insights into lunar evolution. International collaboration is encouraged for future research.

China’s space agency speaks today, saying that Chang’e-6 has completed its mission to the far side of the lunar and brought back a large cache of lunar samples. According to the CNSA, the mission gathered 1,935. The CNSA, the Chinese National Space Administration, announced the mission collected 1,935. It is a small step for man, but giant leap in terms of science as NASA has acquired 3 grams of lunar material.

The Chang’e-6 probe which was launched on 3 May had successfully returned as the returner capsule touched down at Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on 25 June. These samples were later taken and transported to Beijing for analysis.

He further pointed to some significant features of the samples; Ge Ping, the Chang’e-6 spokesperson and Deputy Director of CNSA’s Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Centre. In a press conference, Ge said: “We have got some new characteristics from the samples which Chang’e-6 brought back; relatively higher viscosity of the returned samples, also the clumps. ”

These samples have special scientific value since they are the first specimens ever gathered at the lunar farside. It has been predicted that the information contained in the material will help shed light on the process of lunar evolution and may also contribute toward the advancement of the use of lunar resources.

In the CNSA’s press release, the agency reiterated the policy of cooperation, saying that it is willing to contribute its lunar exploration findings to the global scientific community. The China National Space Administration has said that it will take about six months to start accepting applications for the samples from domestic scientific institutions, and international scientists can also apply following certain procedures.

This mission comes after the Chang’e-5 mission that China has been implementing, and it has offered a lot of knowledge in various aspects such as formation, space weathering, and resource use.

Also Read: China has initiated the process of bringing back lunar samples from the moon in its historic mission

As researchers start the slow task of cracking open these new samples, scientific community gets ready for potential discoveries from this first-ever close up look at the far side of the moon.