China launches probe to collect and return samples from the far side of the Moon to Earth

China is continuing its ambitious space program. On Friday May 3, it launched a probe to collect samples from the far side of the Moon, a world first. A rocket carrying the Chang’e-6 probe is expected to take off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on the southern tropical island of Hainan at 11:30 a.m. (Paris time).

The Chang’e-6 mission aims to collect around two kilos of lunar samples from the far side of the Moon and bring them back to Earth for analysis. This is a technically complex mission, lasting 53 days, which consists in particular of launching a probe on this hemisphere of the Moon which permanently turns its back on the Earth.

Lunar base hoped for 2030

China had already placed a device on the far side of the Moon in 2019 but did not bring back any samples. The probe is to land in the immense South Pole-Aitken basin, one of the largest known impact craters in the solar system. Once there, it will collect lunar soil and rocks and conduct experiments in the area where it lands. Her mission completed, she must return to Earth and land at the Wenchang Space Launch Center.

Chang’e-6 is the first of three uncrewed missions to the Moon planned by China for this decade. Then, Chang’e-7 will explore the lunar south pole in search of water, while Chang’e-8 will attempt to establish the technical feasibility of building a base on Earth’s natural satellite, with Beijing saying one “basic model” would be completed by 2030.