Chinese mission returns to Earth with rocks from the dark side of the Moon

In a remote area of China, the Chinese spacecraft Chang’e-6 landed smoothly on Tuesday, bringing back rock samples from the dark side of the Moon, also known as the far side of the Moon.

The journey of Chang’e-6, named after the moon goddess in Chinese mythology, began in early May. It landed in a crater on the far side near the Moon’s south pole a few weeks later.

With the help of a robotic arm, Chang’e-6 collected soil and rock samples while also taking photographs of the area. It didn’t…”forget” to leave a Chinese flag on the Moon’s surface.

The mission lasted a total of 53 days, according to the BBC.

China is the only country to have sent a spacecraft to land on that side of the Moon, an achievement first accomplished in 2019.

The endeavor is technically challenging because communication with Earth is impossible while the spacecraft is on the other side. Additionally, the terrain on the far side is not as smooth as the side visible from Earth.

Scientists are hoping that samples from the Chinese spacecraft will reveal traces of ice, which could be utilized by future manned missions for water, oxygen, and hydrogen (the latter for energy production).

China aims to send a manned mission to the Moon by 2030, about six decades after the Americans, who also plan to return by 2026. In the long term, China’s goal is to establish a permanent base on the Moon.

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