China's lunar probe, Chang'e-6, has returned to Earth with the first-ever samples from the Moon's unexplored far side. After a nearly two-month mission filled with challenges, the probe landed in the Inner Mongolia desert on Tuesday. These samples are highly anticipated by scientists, as they could provide crucial insights into planetary formation.
China is the only nation to have successfully landed on the Moon's far side, achieving this milestone initially in 2019. This side of the Moon, facing away from Earth, poses significant technical challenges due to its distance and rugged terrain characterized by large craters and limited flat areas. Researchers are particularly interested in this region as it may hold traces of ice, which can be converted into water, oxygen, and hydrogen.
The Chang'e-6 mission is a significant achievement for China, which has been expanding its lunar missions, capturing the attention of its rival, the United States. State media broadcasted images of officials proudly planting the Chinese flag shortly after the Chang’e-6 capsule landed. President Xi Jinping congratulated the mission team, expressing his hope that they will continue to explore deep space, unravel the universe's mysteries, and contribute to humanity and national progress.
Launched in early May, the Chang’e-6 successfully landed near the Moon’s south pole and completed its 53-day mission. The probe will be sent to Beijing for sample retrieval, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV. This marks China's sixth lunar mission and its second to the far side. Named after the moon goddess Chang'e from Chinese mythology, the probe used a drill and robotic arm to collect soil and rock samples, took surface photos, and planted a Chinese flag.
Over the past decade, China has invested heavily in its space program to compete with the US and Russia. It plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 and aims to establish a base at the lunar south pole eventually. Meanwhile, the US intends to return astronauts to the Moon by 2026 with its Artemis 3 mission. Analysts suggest that the future space race will focus not only on lunar exploration but also on claiming and controlling lunar resources.