The purpose of the Chang'e-6 mission is to explore and collect samples from different regions and ages to learn more about the Moon, said the China National Space Administration. (Source: CNSA) |
Chang'e 6 is expected to land in the area of the South Pole-Aitken basin, a giant impact crater on the far side of the Moon with a diameter of 2,500 km.
After landing, the Chang'e 6 lander is tasked with exploring and collecting soil and rock samples from many areas to improve human understanding of the Moon.
To ensure communication between the Chang'e 6 spacecraft and Earth after landing on the Moon, China will launch the Queqiao 2 communications satellite in the first half of 2024.
According to CNSA, Chang'e-6 will carry payloads and satellite projects from four countries, including a French radon detector, a European Space Agency negative ion detector, an Italian laser corner reflector, and a Pakistani cube.
In the past 10 years, China has achieved many great successes in researching and exploring the Moon. In 2013, the Jade Rabbit robot of the Chang'e 3 spacecraft landed on the Moon, becoming the first Chinese robot to do so.
In 2018, China launched the Chang'e 4 spacecraft, carrying the Jade Rabbit 2 rover.
In 2019, Jade Rabbit 2 successfully landed on the far side of the Moon, making China the first country in history to do so. In 2020, Chang'e 5 landed on the Moon and brought back samples of rock and soil to Earth. This was the first time in 44 years that lunar samples were successfully brought back.
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