CHANG’E-6 - SCI &
TECH
News: China launches a lunar probe
mission to collect samples for the first time from the far side
What's in the news?
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China launched its second mission to the far side of the Moon.
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If successful, it will be the world’s first mission
to bring back samples from the part of the Moon that the Earth never gets to
see.
Chang’e 6 Mission:
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The Chang'e 6 mission is a planned lander designed
to return samples from the lunar south
pole.
Aim:
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The mission aims to land on the Moon, collect
samples from the lunar surface, and return them to Earth.
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This process will contribute crucial data to
unravel the Moon's geological mysteries.
Features:
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Representing the first attempt to retrieve samples from the far side of the Moon,
Chang'e 6 is set to bring back up to two kilograms of lunar samples, adopting a
configuration similar to the successful Chang'e 5 mission.
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Chang'e 6 will consist of both a lander and a rover.
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The lander will touch down on the lunar surface,
while the rover will explore specific regions, conduct experiments, and aid in
the sample collection process.
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The returned samples will be made available to the
global scientific community for study.
Collaboration:
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The mission involves international collaboration,
with payloads from the European Space
Agency (ESA) and the French space agency CNES.
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ESA contributes a lunar surface ion tester, while
CNES provides equipment for measuring radon gas and its decay products.
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An Italian
laser corner reflector for radar instrument calibration and Pakistan's
ICUBE-Q CubeSat will also be a part of the mission.
Importance of the
Mission:
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The South
Pole-Aitken basin is believed to have been formed by a colossal impact
event, potentially excavating material from the Moon’s mantle.
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By collecting samples from this region, scientists
aim to gain unprecedented insights into the lunar interior, its composition,
and geological history.
Go back to basics:
Chandrayaan-4 Mission:
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Chandrayaan-4 is the first step towards achieving
the goal of India landing an astronaut on the moon in 2040.
Objective:
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It will collect samples and bring it back to Earth
demonstrating the full cycle of going to the moon and coming back to Earth.
Difference with Chang’e
6 Mission:
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While Chang’e 6 mission aims to bring back samples
from the Moon’s far side, India’s Chandrayaan 4 mission is being built to bring
samples from the Moon’s south pole region.
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It is expected to be launched in 2027.