Chang’e-6, a Chinese space probe, is scheduled to return to Earth today, capping a historic 53-day journey. This mission is notable since it is the first to return samples from the Moon’s far side.
Beijing’s space agency said that the Chang’e-6 spacecraft would return with rare lunar dirt and rocks. Although the exact arrival time has not been disclosed, scientists estimate a midday (0400 GMT) touchdown on a desolate steppe in northern Inner Mongolia.
The mission’s success will provide crucial insights about the Moon’s origin and evolution. The far side’s rocky topography, which is less damaged by lava flows than the near side, has minerals that could help us understand lunar past.
Chang’e-6, launched from Hainan on May 3, landed on the Moon’s South Pole-Aitken Basin one month later. It used modern equipment to collect samples, capture photographs, and place a Chinese flag on the lunar surface. On June 4, the probe made history by being the first to successfully launch from the Moon’s far side.
China’s space agency claimed that Chang’e-6 is “70 percent” on its way back to Earth, with state television CCTV confirming the intended landing in Dorbod Banner, Inner Mongolia. The mission’s development has been continuously monitored, and preparations for the landing location are already begun.
China’s space efforts have expanded swiftly under President Xi Jinping, with large investments resulting in achievements such as a space station, robotic rovers on Mars and the Moon, and crewed missions into orbit. Future ambitions include sending astronauts to the Moon by 2030 and constructing a lunar outpost, competing with the United States’ Artemis 3 mission scheduled for 2026.
Despite worldwide competition and concerns about military aims, China’s space programme remains a source of national pride and scientific progress. Stay tuned for more on this historic mission.