Tag: lunar sample

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#BRI #June2024 | #嫦娥六号#Change6 South Pole-Aitken successfully Basin #LunarSampleReturnMission #DarksideOfTheMoon Chang’e 6  Finally returns home.. 

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嫦娥六号  Change’ Six  CNSA China National Space Administration….  China’s Lunar Sample Lunar Return Mission  successfully returned home! ……At 14:07 Beijing Time  on June 25, 2024, the Chang’e 6 returner landed accurately in the designated area of ​​Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia, China, People’s Republic of China.  and worked normally, marking the complete success of the Chang’e 6 lunar exploration mission and the world’s first return of samples from the back of the moon

Returning to Earth today! 嫦娥六号 Completed orbital return unlocking and separation] At about 13:22, the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center injected high-precision navigation parameters into the Chang’e 6 orbiter and returner combination through the ground tracking and control station. After that, the orbiter and returner were normally unlocked and separated at an altitude of about 5,000 kilometers above the South Atlantic sea level, and the orbiter completed the orbital avoidance manoeuvre as planned….

嫦娥六号  successfully returned home! …….Today, the Chang’e 6 returner landed accurately in the designated area of ​​Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia, and worked normally, marking the complete success of the Chang’e 6 lunar exploration mission and the world’s first return of samples from the back of the moon…

At 17:27 on May 3rd Friday 2024  Beijing time CNSA –China National Space Administration, the Chang’e-6 probe was successfully launched by the Long March 5 Yao-8 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province,  China, People’s Republic of China., and accurately entered the Earth-moon transfer orbit. The launch mission was a complete success. The Chang’e-6 probe has embarked on the world’s first return journey for sampling from the far side of the moon. The pre-selected landing and sampling area is the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon.

[ Chang’e 6 completes sampling and ascender takes off from the far side of the moon and enters the scheduled lunar orbit]

According to the National Space Administration, at  4th June 2024 7:38 Beijing time today, the Chang’e 6 ascender carrying lunar samples took off from the far side of the moon. After the 3000N engine worked for about 6 minutes, it successfully sent the ascender into the scheduled lunar orbit. From


[Xi Jinping sent a message on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission to congratulate the successful completion of the Chang’e-6 lunar exploration mission]

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, June 25 (Xinhua) Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, sent a message on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission to congratulate the successful completion of the Chang’e-6 lunar exploration mission. The full text of the congratulatory message is as follows:

All comrades in the Chang’e-6 lunar exploration mission command and participating in the mission:

I am glad to hear that the Chang’e-6 lunar exploration mission has achieved a complete success. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission, I extend my warm congratulations and sincere greetings to you!

Chang’e-6 achieved the first return of samples from the back of the moon in human history, which is another landmark achievement in China’s construction of a space power and a science and technology power. Over the past 20 years, all comrades involved in the development and construction of the lunar exploration project have carried forward the spirit of lunar exploration, bravely climbed the peak of science and technology, achieved major achievements that have attracted worldwide attention, and embarked on a high-quality and high-efficiency lunar exploration path. The outstanding contributions you have made will be remembered forever by the motherland and the people!

I hope you will seize the opportunity, carefully carry out scientific research on lunar samples, continue to implement major aerospace projects such as deep space exploration, strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, and move forward courageously towards the goal of becoming a space power. Make new contributions to exploring the mysteries of the universe and enhancing human well-being, and make new contributions to comprehensively promoting the construction of a powerful country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization!

Xi Jinping

June 25, 2024

At 14:07 on June 25, 2024, the Chang’e-6 returner accurately landed in the predetermined area of ​​Siziwang Banner in Inner Mongolia and worked normally, marking the complete success of the Chang’e-6 mission of the lunar exploration project and achieving the world’s first return of samples from the back of the moon. At about 13:20, the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center injected high-precision navigation parameters into the Chang’e-6 orbiter and returner combination through the ground measurement and control station. After that, the orbiter and returner unlocked and separated normally at about 5,000 kilometers above sea level in the South Atlantic Ocean, and the orbiter completed the orbit avoidance manoeuvre as planned. At about 13:41, the Chang’e-6 returner entered the Earth’s atmosphere for the first time over the Atlantic Ocean at a height of about 120 kilometers above the ground at a high speed close to the second cosmic speed (about 11.2 kilometers/second), and implemented its first aerodynamic deceleration. .

After descending to a predetermined altitude, the returner jumped upwards out of the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean, and began to glide down after reaching the highest point. After that, the returner re-enters the atmosphere and implements secondary aerodynamic deceleration. When it drops to an altitude of about 20 kilometers above the ground, the returner switches to the parachute opening attitude. At an altitude of about 10 kilometers, the return vehicle opened its parachute, completed the final deceleration and maintained a stable attitude, and then landed smoothly in the predetermined area. The launch site and recovery system technicians responsible for the search and recovery mission conduct returner searches based on the location information and action paths reported by the Beijing Center, discover the target in a timely manner, confirm that the returner status is normal, and carry out recovery work in an orderly manner as planned. After the final Chang’e-6 returner completes necessary ground processing, it will be airlifted to Beijing to open the cabin and remove the sample container and cargo. The National Space Administration will choose an opportunity to hold a handover ceremony to formally hand over lunar samples to the ground application system, and will subsequently carry out work related to sample storage, analysis and research. The Chang’e-6 probe was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China on May 3 and entered the Earth-moon transfer orbit. After orbit correction and near-lunar braking, the probe successfully entered a lunar orbit. After that, the probe experienced the separation of the lander and ascender assembly, and the orbiter and returner assembly. With the support of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, the lander and ascender assembly carried out orbital descent and powered descent around the moon.

 On June 2, it accurately landed in the pre-selected area of ​​the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon and carried out sampling work. On June 4, the ascender was ignited for takeoff and accurately entered orbit. On June 6, it completed the rendezvous and docking with the orbiter and returner assembly and sample transfer. After that, it separated from the orbiter and returner assembly as planned and was controlled. The moon falls. After that, the orbiter and returner combination experienced 13 days of waiting around the moon. After completing two lunar-Earth transfer incidences and one orbit correction, the returner separated from the orbiter on June 25 and carried heavy samples from the back of the moon. Return to Earth. After the Queqiao-2 relay satellite successfully completes the Chang’e-6 mission, it will choose an opportunity to carry out scientific detection missions. The extreme ultraviolet camera, array neutral atom imager and Earth-Moon Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) test system it carries will Collecting scientific data from the moon and deep space…

Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#BRI #June2024 | #嫦娥六号#Change6 South Pole-Aitken successfully Basin #LunarSampleReturnMission #DarksideOfTheMoon Chang’e 6  #ChineseFlag #ChinaFlag #PeoplesRepublicOfChina will #NeverFade Wuhan Textile University  China Aerospace Sanjiang Group…

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At 17:27 on May 3rd Friday 2024  Beijing time CNSA –China National Space Administration, the Chang’e-6 probe was successfully launched by the Long March 5 Yao-8 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province,  China, People’s Republic of China., and accurately entered the Earth-moon transfer orbit. The launch mission was a complete success. The Chang’e-6 probe has embarked on the world’s first return journey for sampling from the far side of the moon. The pre-selected landing and sampling area is the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon.

[ Chang’e 6 completes sampling and ascender takes off from the far side of the moon and enters the scheduled lunar orbit]

According to the National Space Administration, at  4th June 2024 7:38 Beijing time today, the Chang’e 6 ascender carrying lunar samples took off from the far side of the moon. After the 3000N engine worked for about 6 minutes, it successfully sent the ascender into the scheduled lunar orbit. From



June 2 to 3, Chang’e 6 successfully completed intelligent and rapid sampling in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon, and packaged the precious lunar far side samples in the storage device carried by the ascender in a predetermined form. During the sampling and packaging process, researchers simulated the geographical model of the sampling area and simulated sampling in the ground laboratory based on the probe data transmitted back by the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, providing important support for sampling decisions and operations in various links.

The Chang’e-6 lunar flag display system was jointly developed by China Aerospace Sanjiang Group and Wuhan Textile University and other units. In response to the extreme environmental requirements of high and low temperature alternation, high vacuum and strong ultraviolet radiation in this mission, the lunar flag team of Academician Xu Weilin of the State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology of Wuhan Textile University..



selected basalt materials. Basalt fiber is a new type of inorganic environmentally friendly green high-performance fiber material. It is composed of oxides such as silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, iron oxide and titanium dioxide. China has listed basalt fiber as one of the four major fibers (carbon fiber, aramid, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, basalt fiber) for key development, and has achieved industrial production. Using natural basalt formed by volcanic eruptions as raw materials, it is crushed and put into a melting furnace, heated to a molten state of 1450~1500℃, and quickly drawn through a platinum-rhodium alloy drawing plate. This is how basalt fiber is made. When basalt fiber is manufactured, it has excellent high temperature resistance and thermal shock stability, and can remain unchanged at a temperature of 650°C. It also has durability, weather resistance, UV resistance, water resistance, and oxidation resistance comparable to natural basalt stone. 嫦娥六号…..

Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#BRI #June2024 | #嫦娥六号#Change6 South Pole-Aitken successfully Basin #LunarSampleReturnMission #DarksideOfTheMoon Chang’e 6 completes sampling and ascender takes off from the far side of the moon and enters the scheduled lunar orbit …

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At 17:27 on May 3rd Friday 2024  Beijing time CNSA –China National Space Administration, the Chang’e-6 probe was successfully launched by the Long March 5 Yao-8 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province,  China, People’s Republic of China., and accurately entered the Earth-moon transfer orbit. The launch mission was a complete success. The Chang’e-6 probe has embarked on the world’s first return journey for sampling from the far side of the moon. The pre-selected landing and sampling area is the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon.

[ Chang’e 6 completes sampling and ascender takes off from the far side of the moon and enters the scheduled lunar orbit]

According to the National Space Administration, at 7:38 today, the Chang’e 6 ascender carrying lunar samples took off from the far side of the moon. After the 3000N engine worked for about 6 minutes, it successfully sent the ascender into the scheduled lunar orbit.

From June 2 to 3, Chang’e 6 successfully completed intelligent and rapid sampling in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon, and packaged the precious lunar far side samples in the storage device carried by the ascender in a predetermined form. During the sampling and packaging process, researchers simulated the geographical model of the sampling area and simulated sampling in the ground laboratory based on the probe data transmitted back by the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, providing important support for sampling decisions and operations in various links.

Intelligent sampling is one of the core key links of the Chang’e 6 mission. The probe withstood the high temperature test on the far side of the moon, and collected lunar samples by drilling with a drill and taking samples from the surface with a robotic arm, realizing multi-point and diversified automatic sampling.

嫦娥六号 The lander and ascender took a group photo] On June 3, 2024, the “mobile camera” carried by Chang’e 6 moved autonomously and successfully took and sent back a group photo of the lander and ascender

The Chang’e-6 lander was equipped with a landing camera, panoramic camera, lunar soil structure detector, lunar mineral spectrometer and other payloads that were powered on normally and carried out scientific exploration as planned, playing an important role in scientific exploration tasks such as lunar surface morphology and mineral composition detection and research, lunar shallow structure detection, etc. Before the probe drilled and sampled, the lunar soil structure detector analyzed and judged the underground lunar soil structure in the sampling area, providing data reference for sampling. The international payloads

carried by the Chang’e-6 lander, such as the European Space Agency’s lunar surface negative ion analyzer and the French lunar radon gas detector, worked normally and carried out corresponding scientific exploration tasks. Among them, the French lunar radon gas detector was powered on during the Earth-Moon transfer, lunar orbit phase and lunar surface working phase; the European Space Agency’s lunar surface negative ion analyzer was powered on during the lunar surface working phase. The Italian laser corner reflector installed on the top of the lander became a position control point that can be used for distance measurement on the back side of the moon.

After the surface sampling was completed, the five-star red flag carried by the Chang’e-6 lander was successfully unfolded on the back side of the moon. This is the first time that China has independently and dynamically displayed its national flag on the back side of the moon. The national flag is made of new composite materials and special technology. Due to the different landing position on the moon, the Chang’e 6 national flag display system has been adaptively improved on the basis of the Chang’e 5 mission.

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#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#WenchangSpacecraftLaunchCenter #文昌航天發射場 #BRI #June2024 | #嫦娥六号#Change6 South Pole-Aitken successfully landed Basin #LunarSampleReturnMission #DarksideOfTheMoon …

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At 17:27 on May 3rd Friday 2024  Beijing time CNSA –China National Space Administration, the Chang’e-6 probe was successfully launched by the Long March 5 Yao-8 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province,  China, People’s Republic of China., and accurately entered the Earth-moon transfer orbit. The launch mission was a complete success. The Chang’e-6 probe has embarked on the world’s first return journey for sampling from the far side of the moon. The pre-selected landing and sampling area is the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon.

[Chang’e-6 successfully landed in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon] According to the National Space Administration, at 06:23:15:861

Beijing time today, the Chang’e-6 lander and ascender combination, supported by the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, successfully landed in the pre-selected landing area of ​​the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon. At 6:09 on June 2, the Chang’e-6 lander and ascender combination began to implement power descent, and the 7500 Newton variable thrust main engine was turned on. During this period, the combination made rapid attitude adjustments and gradually approached the lunar surface. After that, obstacles were automatically detected through the visual autonomous obstacle avoidance system, and a visible light camera was used to select a rough safe point based on the brightness of the lunar surface. It hovered 100 meters above the safe point, and laser three-dimensional scanning was used to take precise photos to detect obstacles on the lunar surface. Finally, the landing point was selected and a slow vertical descent began. When it was about to reach the lunar surface, the engine was shut down, and the buffer system was used to ensure that the combination reached the lunar surface in a free fall manner, and finally landed smoothly in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon.

According to the China Academy of Space Technology, Chang’e-6 is one of the most complex spacecraft systems developed by China so far. The propulsion subsystem developed by the Sixth Academy provides it with the orbiter propulsion subsystem, lander propulsion subsystem and ascender propulsion subsystem. They are composed of 3 orbit control engines, 74 attitude control engines and more than 200 supporting single units such as tanks, gas cylinders, valves, circuit boxes, pressure sensors, etc. Among them, 1 7500N variable thrust engine is used for a smooth soft landing on the moon, and 2 3000N engines are used for the probe’s near-moon braking “in-orbit braking” and lunar takeoff. With their help, the Chang’e-6 probe can complete a series of “difficult actions” in space on its own .

The payload carried by the Chang’e-6 lander will work as planned and carry out scientific exploration missions. The international payloads of the Chang’e-6 mission, the European Space Agency’s lunar surface negative ion analyzer and the French lunar radon detector, are about to start working, and the Italian laser corner reflector has been deployed.

Since the Chang’e-6 probe was launched into orbit on May 3, 2024, it has successively experienced the processes of earth-moon transfer, near-moon braking, circumlunar flight, landing and descent. The Chang’e-6 probe consists of an orbiter, a returner, a lander and an ascender. On May 30, the lander and ascender combination and the orbiter and returner combination were separated in orbit. After the lander and ascender combination lands successfully, the lander will conduct status checks and settings such as the deployment of solar panels and directional antennas under ground control via the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, and then officially begin sampling work on the far side of the moon, which will last about two days. The lunar soil samples and lunar surface rocks will be collected by drilling with a drill and by using a robotic arm to achieve multi-point and diversified automatic sampling. At the same time, scientific explorations such as on-site investigation and analysis of the landing area on the far side of the moon and analysis of the lunar soil structure will be carried out to deepen the research on the origin and evolution history of the moon.

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#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#WenchangSpacecraftLaunchCenter #文昌航天發射場 #BRI #May2024 | #ChangZheng5  #LongMarch5 Yao 8 launch successfully for #嫦娥六号#Change6 #LunarLander #LunarProbe South Pole-Aitken Basin  #LunarSampleReturnMission #DarksideOfTheMoon …. #ASummary

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At 17:27 on May 3rd Friday 2024  Beijing time CNSA –China National Space Administration, the Chang’e-6 probe was successfully launched by the Long March 5 Yao-8 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province,  China, People’s Republic of China., and accurately entered the Earth-moon transfer orbit. The launch mission was a complete success. The Chang’e-6 probe has embarked on the world’s first return journey for sampling from the far side of the moon. The pre-selected landing and sampling area is the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon.

About 37 minutes after the Long March 5 Yao-8 carrier rocket flew, the rocket separated, sending the Chang’e-6 probe directly into the predetermined Earth-moon transfer orbit with a perigee altitude of 200 kilometers and an apogee altitude of about 380,000 kilometers. The Chang’e-6 probe consists of an orbiter, returner, lander, and ascender. Subsequently, with the support of ground measurement and control and the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, the Chang’e-6 probe will undergo processes such as earth-moon transfer, near-moon braking, orbiting the moon, landing and descent, and soft landing on the lunar surface, and finally reach a pre-selected area on the far side of the moon. Collect lunar surface rock and soil samples, and conduct scientific exploration at the same time. After completing the sampling and packaging, the ascender will take off from the lunar surface, then carry out lunar orbit rendezvous and docking and transfer the samples to the returner; the returner will undergo processes such as moon-to-earth transfer, approaching the second cosmic speed and re-entering the earth, and finally carry precious Lunar samples returned to Earth.

According to reports, the entire process from launch to sample return of the Chang’e-6 mission takes about 53 days. The mission cycle is long, there are many engineering innovations, high risks and difficulties, and each stage is interlocked. Compared with the Chang’e-5 mission that achieved sample return from the front side of the moon in 2020, the Chang’e-6 mission needs to implement the first sample return from the far side of the moon with the support of the Queqiao-2 relay star, breaking through the lunar retrograde orbit design and control, and intelligent and rapid lunar backside Key technologies such as sampling and lunar take-off and ascent. At the same time, the Chang’e-6 mission will carry out scientific explorations such as on-site investigation and analysis of the landing area on the back of the moon, laboratory analysis and research of lunar samples, and deepen the study of the formation and evolution history of the moon.

In addition, the Chang’e-6 mission has carried out pragmatic international cooperation. In April 2019, the National Space Administration released the “Announcement on International Payload Cooperation Opportunities for the Chang’e-6 Mission”. Through the collection and selection of proposals for two batches of international payload carrying projects, the ESA lunar surface negative ion analyzer, There are four international carrying projects including the French Lunar Radon Detector, the Italian Laser Corner Reflector, and the Pakistani CubeSat. Among them, the ESA Lunar Surface Negative Ion Analyzer will detect negative ions on the lunar surface and study the interaction mechanism between plasma and the lunar surface; the French Lunar Radon Detector aims to conduct in-situ detection of radon isotopes on the lunar surface and study volatilization The transmission and diffusion mechanism of objects in the lunar environment; the Italian laser corner reflector plans to use the positioning on the back of the moon to carry out joint ranging and positioning research with other lunar exploration missions; the Pakistani CubeSat will carry out an on-orbit imaging mission to verify the NanoSatelllites moon Orbit detection technology.

On May 3, the CNSA- China National Space Administration held a Chang’e-6 international payload seminar in Haikou. About 50 international friends from 12 national space agencies, embassies in China, including Pakistan, France, and Italy, as well as international organizations such as the United Nations and ESA, gathered in Hainan to discuss cooperation and witness the launch of the Chang’e-6 mission.

The Long March 5 launch vehicle is my country’s first new-generation high-thrust launch vehicle with a core diameter of 5 meters. It has a total length of about 57 meters, a take-off weight of about 870 tons, a take-off thrust of more than 1,000 tons, and a low-Earth orbit carrying capacity of up to 25 tons. The geosynchronous orbit has a carrying capacity of up to 14 tons and completed its first flight in 2016. Due to the constant changes in the relative position of the Earth and the Moon, in order to ensure that the rocket is launched on time, the model team applied the “narrow window multi-orbit” launch technology and designed a total of 10 lunar orbits for the rocket within a 50-minute window for two consecutive days. Improve implementation launch probability and reliability. At the same time, the development team continued to optimize the launch site process, reducing the time it took to launch Chang’e-5 from nearly 60 days to 43 days. This is the 519th launch of the Long March series of launch vehicles.

The lunar exploration project is organized and implemented under the leadership of the National Space Administration. For this Chang’e-6 mission, the overall project was undertaken by the Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of the National Space Administration; the detector and launch vehicle were developed by the Space Technology Research Institute and Launch Vehicle Technology Research Institute of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation respectively; the launch The measurement, control and recovery work is jointly completed by China Wenchang Space Launch Site, Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, Xi’an Satellite Measurement and Control Center, Yuanwang Survey Ship, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and other units; the ground application system is mainly undertaken by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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