In early May 2024, the Chinese carrier rocket Changzheng-5 launched the automatic interplanetary station Chang'e-6 into space. After five days of flight, the device entered lunar orbit and, a few weeks later, landed on the far side of the Moon. It landed on the surface of the Apollo crater, which is located in the South Pole-Aitken basin.This is a very important achievement for China’s space program: specialists managed to successfully land a device on the Moon for the fourth time, and for the second time on its far side. All these efforts are needed in order to take soil samples from an area little known to us and deliver them to Earth for study in laboratory conditions. But how is the soil on the far side of the Moon so different from the samples on the visible side?
The Chang'e-6 lander has landed on the Moon and is ready to collect soil. Image source: habr.com
Contents
- 1 China sat on the far side of the moon
- 2 For what do scientists know about lunar soil
- 3 Video of the far side of the Moon
- 4 Why the Moon looks at the Earth with only one side
China sat on the far side of the Moon< /h2>
The Chang'e-6 probe landed on the lunar surface on the evening of June 1, 2024. The landing was soft and the structure and payload were not damaged. It was difficult to control the device because the Queqiao-2 relay satellite is required to transmit signals to the far side of the earth satellite.
The Chang'e-6 spacecraft is equipped with scientific equipment developed by specialists from France, Italy and the European Space Agency. For example, the French DORN instrument is needed to study the movement of lunar dust and other volatile substances. The Italian INRRI device is needed to determine the range of the landing module using a laser. The Swedish NILS instrument is needed to detect and measure negative ions generated by the solar wind and reflected by the lunar surface.
A three-dimensional model of the Chang'e-6 spacecraft. Image source: bigasia.ru
Also, the small satellite ICUBE-Q should separate from the Chang'e-6 station. It was created in Pakistan and is needed to study the magnetic field of the Moon. This device is also expected to take photographs of Chang'e-6, the Earth and the Moon.
This you need to know:Chang'e-6's predecessor, the Chang'e-4 probe , landed on the far side of the Moon in 2019
Why do scientists need lunar soil
The main task of the Chang'e-6 apparatus is to make the first-ever attempt to collect soil samples from the far side of the Moon. The mission began from launch day on May 3 and is expected to last 53 days. According to the calculations of the project managers, the device will require only two days to collect the material. To collect soil samples from the depths of the Moon, he will use a drill. Samples will be taken from the surface using a robotic arm.
The soil on the far side of the Moon can tell a lot of interesting things about how our planet got its satellite. Image source: elementy.ru
Scientists believe that by collecting and studying materials from the far side of the Moon, they will be able to reveal many of the secrets of the earth's satellite. In the second half of the 20th century, as part of the Apollo space program, scientists collected 382 kilograms of lunar soil. But they were all collected from the visible side of the earth's satellite. The uniqueness of the soil from the invisible side of the Moon lies in the fact that its craters are less covered with traces of lava flows of antiquity.
In 2021, scientists studied the lunar soil obtained by the Chang'e-5 apparatus. What new did they learn?
Video of the far side of the Moon
Before landing on the surface of the satellite, the Chang'e-6 apparatus filmed the far side of the Moon. This video can also be called unique, because other countries did not share such content.
Descent of the Chang'e-6 probe to the Moon
Required reading: What is on the far side of the Moon?
Why does the Moon look at the Earth on only one side
Some people don't understand the difference between the front and back side of the Moon. First of all, you need to understand that when we talk about the dark side of the Moon, it does not mean that the Sun never shines on it. It is just as well illuminated by the Sun as the visible side. The dark side of the Moon is its hemisphere that is always turned away from us.
It may sound complicated, but it's actually easy. The Moon always faces the Earth with one side because it rotates around its axis at the same speed as it moves around the Earth. This type of rotation is called synchronous rotation, and it occurs because the Earth exerts a strong gravitational force on the Moon. It is because of this that we always see only one side of the Moon from Earth.
Thanks to modern technology, scientists know a lot of interesting things even about the far side of the Moon. Image source: habr.com
The landing of the Chang'e-6 interplanetary station is the third visit of mankind to the Moon. In January 2024, the Japanese SLIM spacecraft landed on the surface of the earth's satellite, the main goal of which is to search for water on the Moon. This is a very important matter, because when people start building a lunar base, they will need a source of water for drinking and technical needs.
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In February 2024, the American spacecraft IM-1 Odysseus landed on the Moon. The landing on the Malapert crater near the south pole of the Moon was successful. You can find out why this $118 million mission is needed from our material “After 50 years, the Americans returned to the Moon – what will they do.”