Chang'e 6 Lunar Mission Overview

What significant achievement did China's Chang'e 6 lunar probe accomplish on June 25, 2024?

What is the size of the South Pole-Aitken basin where the Chang'e 6 probe landed?

What material was used to make the national flag planted on the Moon's surface by Chang'e 6?

What was the duration of the Chang'e 6 spacecraft's journey from launch to landing?

What is expected to be revealed by the lunar samples collected by Chang'e 6?

After collecting the samples, where did the sample-carrying rocket dock?

Where did the capsule carrying lunar material land upon its return to Earth?

What aspect of the Moon does the Chang'e 6 mission specifically aim to explore next?

Chang'e 6 Lunar Mission

Chang'e 6 successfully collected lunar soil samples from the Moon's far side on June 25, 2024, a first.
Launched from Hainan province on May 3, 2024, the mission lasted a month, landing in the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin on June 2, 2024.
The SPA basin, approximately 1,600 miles/ 2,500 km wide and 5 miles/ 8 km deep, is a large, ancient impact crater on the far side of the Moon.
The lander deployed a 12x8 inch (300x200 mm) basalt flag.
Rocks and soil were collected using a drill and robotic arm.
On June 4, 2024 the sample-carrying rocket separated from the lander, docked with the orbiter, and transferred the samples to the return capsule.
Approximately 4 lbs (2 kg) of lunar material was returned to Earth, landing safely in Inner Mongolia.
A portion of the samples will be kept by Chinese authorities, while the rest will be shared with researchers globally for analysis.
Scientists anticipate the samples will reveal data on the Moon's far side evolution, the near/far side differences, and the solar system's early stages.

Future Lunar Missions

China's future plans involve further exploration of the Moon's south pole, starting with Chang'e 7 (2026) and Chang'e 8 (2028).
These missions will focus on detecting water and other essential resources.
Crewed lunar missions are planned for 2030, with the potential for a permanent south pole base.

Explore the details of the Chang'e 6 mission, which successfully collected lunar soil samples from the Moon's far side. Launched in May 2024, it marked a significant achievement in lunar exploration for China. Discover the mission's challenges, discoveries, and the scientific implications of the samples returned to Earth.