On the 29th September 2023 the嫦娥六号; Change 6 Lunar Sample Return Mission onboard the Chang Zheng – Long March Five Carrier Rocket modified announcement by CNSA – China National Space Administration China Wenchang spaceport launch, Change lunar series Lunar probes… The National Space Administration announced today that the development of the lunar exploration project Chang’e-6 mission is currently underway as planned and is planned to be launched around 2024. At the same time, our country is accelerating the scientific project of the International Lunar Research Station, and hopes that more international partners will join in to jointly expand the boundaries of human cognition, contribute to the peaceful use of space, and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.
On January 8th 2024 and 9th January, 2024, the detector products of the Chang’e-6 mission of the fourth phase of the lunar exploration project took the An-124 and Yun-20 aircraft respectively and arrived at Hainan Meilan International Airport. Transported by road to the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China.. Subsequent test preparations before launch will be carried out as planned.
The Chang’e-6 mission will break through key technologies such as lunar retrograde orbit design and control, lunar back intelligent sampling, and lunar back take-off and ascent, implement automatic sampling and return on the lunar back, and at the same time carry out scientific exploration and international cooperation in the landing area.
At present, the launch site facilities are in good condition and all preparations are being carried out in an orderly manner as planned. Chang’e-6 is scheduled to be launched in the first half of this year.
According to arrangements, the Chang’e-6 mission will carry out sample returns from the far side of the moon. The 10 lunar sampling returns that humans have carried out so far are all located on the front side of the moon. The far side of the moon is generally older than the front side of the moon, and there is the Aitken Basin, one of the three major lunar terrestrial bodies, which has important scientific research value. The pre-selected landing area for the Chang’e-6 mission is located in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon, with a view to discovering and collecting lunar samples from different regions and ages to enhance human understanding of the moon.
According to arrangements, the Chang’e-6 mission will carry out sample returns from the far side of the moon. The 10 lunar sampling returns that humans have carried out so far are all located on the front side of the moon. The far side of the moon is generally older than the front side of the moon, and there is the Aitken Basin, one of the three major lunar terrestrial bodies, which has important scientific research value. The pre-selected landing area for the Chang’e-6 mission is located in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon, with a view to discovering and collecting lunar samples from different regions and ages to enhance human understanding of the moon.
It is reported that in order to successfully complete the communication between the spacecraft on the far side of the moon and the earth, China, People’s Republic of China newly developed Queqiao-2 relay communication satellite is planned to be launched in the first half of 2024.
Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration
