In the coming days, China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe will make its return journey from the dark side of the Moon to Earth after collecting samples that scientists hope will shed light on the early evolution of the Sun’s system. The probe, named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang’e, was launched on May 3 from Hainan province. It landed at a previously unexplored location in the South Pole – Aitken Basin crater on the far side of the Moon on June 1.
Previous missions by China and the former Soviet Union collected samples from the near side and far side of the Moon, respectively, but this marks the first time a probe will bring back samples from the South Pole – Aitken Basin. This is significant because it could provide insights into a key event in the history of the solar system that is still being debated by scientists.
Chang’e-6 spent 14 hours collecting 2 kilograms of material, making it an important scientific mission that could bring new insights into early history of solar system. Despite improvements in drilling technology, challenges similar to those faced by Chang’e-5 mission may arise due to drilling issues. The samples collected will be transferred back to Earth to be analyzed by scientists.
Scientists like James Carpenter, head of European Space Agency’s Lunar Science Office, emphasize
