China To Launch Robotic Spacecraft To Moon’s Unseen Hemisphere
In the upcoming days, China will launch a robotic spacecraft on a round trip to the moon’s, unseen hemisphere. Marking the first of three technically challenging missions.
This mission would lay the groundwork for China’s first crewed lunar landing and the establishment of a base on the lunar south pole.
Since its inaugural Chang’e mission in 2007, named after the legendary Chinese moon goddess, China has significantly advanced its lunar exploration efforts, bridging the technological gap with the United States and Russia.
In 2020, China achieved a significant milestone by retrieving samples from the moon’s near side, marking the first successful sample retrieval in over four decades and confirming its capability to safely return an uncrewed spacecraft from the lunar surface to Earth.
This week, China also anticipates launching Chang’e-6, utilizing the backup spacecraft from the 2020 mission to retrieve soil and rocks from the moon’s far side, which perpetually faces away from Earth. Due to the lack of direct communication with Earth, Chang’e-6 will rely on a newly deployed relay satellite orbiting the moon throughout its 53-day mission, including an unprecedented ascent from the moon’s obscured side during its return journey.
The same relay satellite will also support the unmanned Chang’e-7 and 8 missions scheduled for 2026 and 2028, respectively, as China embarks on exploring the lunar south pole for water and collaborates with Russia to establish a basic outpost. China aims to land its astronauts on the moon by 2030.
Beijing’s intentions for polar exploration have raised concerns for NASA, with Administrator Bill Nelson warning of potential territorial claims by China on lunar water resources. Despite this, Beijing asserts its commitment to collaborative efforts with all nations in building a shared future.
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Chang’e-6 will carry payloads from France, Italy, Sweden, and Pakistan, while Chang’e-7 will include payloads from Russia, Switzerland, and Thailand. Notably, NASA is prohibited by U.S. law from engaging in any form of collaboration, direct or indirect, with China.
SOUTH POLE AMBITIONS
Chang’e 6 aims to touch down on the northeastern side of the expansive South Pole-Aitken Basin, recognized as the oldest documented impact crater in the solar system. The southernmost landing thus far occurred in February during the IM-1 mission, a collaborative effort between NASA and the Texas-based private firm Intuitive Machines.
Upon landing at Malapert A, a location near the south pole presumed to have relatively even terrain, the spacecraft encountered significant technical challenges, leading to a sharp tilt to one side. This incident underscores the inherent risks associated with lunar landings.
Scientifically, the south pole is regarded as the “golden belt” for lunar exploration, offering the potential for sustained research bases fueled by polar ice, reducing reliance on costly Earth-bound resources. India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission, launched in 2008, confirmed the presence of ice within polar craters.
The sample return mission of Chang’e-6 holds the promise of shedding further light on the moon’s early evolution and the broader solar system. The absence of volcanic activity on the moon’s far side has preserved a greater number of craters untouched by ancient lava flows, thereby conserving materials from the moon’s formative stages.
Notably, all lunar samples retrieved thus far, including those by the United States, the former Soviet Union in the 1970s, and China in 2020, originated from the moon’s near side, where volcanic activity was historically more prevalent.
Following a successful landing, Chang’e-6 is slated to collect approximately 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of samples utilizing a mechanical scoop and drill.
Reuters
