China’s Chang’e-6 craft has made history by displaying the country’s flag on the far side of the moon after successfully completing its sampling mission. This marks the first time any country has flown a flag on the far side of the moon, showcasing China’s advancements in space exploration.
The Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) announced that the Chang’e-6 craft has taken off from the far side of the moon and is now on its way back to Earth carrying the first samples ever collected from the region. The craft landed in a giant crater near the moon’s south pole, a challenging feat celebrated by the international science community.
China is the only country to have landed on the far side of the moon, with this mission being described as an “unprecedented feat in human lunar exploration” by the CNSA. The far side of the moon poses technical challenges due to its distance and difficult terrain, making it a significant achievement for China to successfully collect samples from this region.
The Chang’e-6 craft used a mechanical arm and drill to collect about 2kg of rocks and soil from the South Pole-Aitken basin, one of the largest known craters in the solar system. The samples will be transferred to a re-entry capsule set to return to Earth, landing in Inner Mongolia around June 25.
Scientists are excited about the samples, which could potentially be from some of the Moon’s oldest rocks. The opportunity to analyze rock from a different area of the Moon could provide valuable insights into how planets form and the possibility of establishing a human base on the Moon for scientific research.
China’s ambitious space exploration plans include three more uncrewed missions this decade, with the goal of finding water on the Moon and setting up a permanent base. Beijing aims to see a Chinese astronaut walk on the moon by around 2030, while the US also has plans to put astronauts back on the moon with the Artemis-3 mission in 2026.
Overall, China’s successful mission to the far side of the moon demonstrates the country’s commitment to advancing space exploration and pushing the boundaries of human knowledge.
