SYDNEY, All systems go for tonight's launch of China's next phase in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed atop a powerful rocket on March 5, the Chang'e 6 mission is scheduled to launch at 7:30 pm (AEST) from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on southern Hainan Island.
Its goal is to provide several "firsts" in the increasingly crowded and competitive field of Moon exploration.
Chang'e 6 will be only the second mission to land on the far side of the Moon, after Chang'e 4 successfully landed for the first time in 2019. It is the latest mission in China's successful and long-running lunar exploration program, which aims to With each mission there is new technological advancement to be proven.And this time, it is also an inspiring achievement of international cooperation.
What's on the far side of the Moon?
The spacecraft was originally designed as a backup to the previous mission Chang'e 5 – which successfully brought back 1.73 kilograms of lunar regolite (soil) from near the Moon in 2020. However, Chang'e 6 mission parameters are more ambitious and Scientifically more than expected. This is also a complex mission. Its four separate spacecraft must work in close coordination to successfully return up to 2 kilograms of regolith from the far side of the Moon.
From our vantage point on Earth, the far side of the Moon is never visible.The Earth–Moon system is tidally locked: even though both rotate, we always face the same half of the Moon.
When the Soviet Union's Luna 3 probe returned the first images of the Moon's side in 1959, they showed a heavily cratered surface. This is quite different from the familiar near side. This strange appearance, combined with samples returned by NASA's Apollo missions, provided some support for the popular "Late Heavy Bombardment" theory, although this theory is not universally accepted, Its proponents suggest that a large number of meteorites and asteroids may have impacted the solar system.' Rocky planets (and their moons) in the early stages of their formation.This could really help us understand the early history of the Solar System and whether the Late Heavy Bombardment theory needs to be reconsidered. Science Without Borders
Any samples obtained will be shared with the international community for in-depth analysis, like the Chang'e 5 samples and data from China's other space science missions – including its recent high-resolution Moon atlas.
In the current era of rising geopolitical tensions, the Chang'e 6 mission is a rare example of constructive international cooperation. Probe carry equipment was contributed by France, Italy, Pakistan and Sweden. The Swedish payload was developed with funding from the European Space Agency (ESA).This may seem surprising given the current state of world affairs. But ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences share a history of joint space missions, although relations have deteriorated somewhat in recent years.
a recent development
From a scientific perspective, Chang'e 6's international involvement is a recent development. Scientists are inspired by the universal principles that underlie the scientific approach. We greatly value collaborative efforts regardless of one's national origin.Science knows no boundaries.Space missions are just one example, Chinese scientists are moving forward rapidly and increasingly leading global scientific achievements. China's progress in science and technology has now reached a level that can no longer be ignored by international allies and competitors.
Yet real-world constraints in an increasingly geopolitically charged environment impact our work as scientists, influencing what can be shared among colleagues internationally, and this can be reflected in our Should be involved in practical decision making.
It is important to strike a careful balance between protecting national interests and the free flow of ideas that can ultimately lead to scientific breakthroughs.Not every scientific exchange reaches a level that would require warnings of national security or foreign interference. To summarize the Australian Government's foreign relations policy, “Co-operate where we can; Exercise restraint where we should exercise restraint.'' The Change'6 mission is an excellent example of this type of productive international partnership.(talk) AMS
Its goal is to provide several "firsts" in the increasingly crowded and competitive field of Moon exploration.
Chang'e 6 will be only the second mission to land on the far side of the Moon, after Chang'e 4 successfully landed for the first time in 2019. It is the latest mission in China's successful and long-running lunar exploration program, which aims to With each mission there is new technological advancement to be proven.And this time, it is also an inspiring achievement of international cooperation.
What's on the far side of the Moon?
The spacecraft was originally designed as a backup to the previous mission Chang'e 5 – which successfully brought back 1.73 kilograms of lunar regolite (soil) from near the Moon in 2020. However, Chang'e 6 mission parameters are more ambitious and Scientifically more than expected. This is also a complex mission. Its four separate spacecraft must work in close coordination to successfully return up to 2 kilograms of regolith from the far side of the Moon.
From our vantage point on Earth, the far side of the Moon is never visible.The Earth–Moon system is tidally locked: even though both rotate, we always face the same half of the Moon.
When the Soviet Union's Luna 3 probe returned the first images of the Moon's side in 1959, they showed a heavily cratered surface. This is quite different from the familiar near side. This strange appearance, combined with samples returned by NASA's Apollo missions, provided some support for the popular "Late Heavy Bombardment" theory, although this theory is not universally accepted, Its proponents suggest that a large number of meteorites and asteroids may have impacted the solar system.' Rocky planets (and their moons) in the early stages of their formation.This could really help us understand the early history of the Solar System and whether the Late Heavy Bombardment theory needs to be reconsidered. Science Without Borders
Any samples obtained will be shared with the international community for in-depth analysis, like the Chang'e 5 samples and data from China's other space science missions – including its recent high-resolution Moon atlas.
In the current era of rising geopolitical tensions, the Chang'e 6 mission is a rare example of constructive international cooperation. Probe carry equipment was contributed by France, Italy, Pakistan and Sweden. The Swedish payload was developed with funding from the European Space Agency (ESA).This may seem surprising given the current state of world affairs. But ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences share a history of joint space missions, although relations have deteriorated somewhat in recent years.
a recent development
From a scientific perspective, Chang'e 6's international involvement is a recent development. Scientists are inspired by the universal principles that underlie the scientific approach. We greatly value collaborative efforts regardless of one's national origin.Science knows no boundaries.Space missions are just one example, Chinese scientists are moving forward rapidly and increasingly leading global scientific achievements. China's progress in science and technology has now reached a level that can no longer be ignored by international allies and competitors.
Yet real-world constraints in an increasingly geopolitically charged environment impact our work as scientists, influencing what can be shared among colleagues internationally, and this can be reflected in our Should be involved in practical decision making.
It is important to strike a careful balance between protecting national interests and the free flow of ideas that can ultimately lead to scientific breakthroughs.Not every scientific exchange reaches a level that would require warnings of national security or foreign interference. To summarize the Australian Government's foreign relations policy, “Co-operate where we can; Exercise restraint where we should exercise restraint.'' The Change'6 mission is an excellent example of this type of productive international partnership.(talk) AMS
