China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe has successfully entered orbit around the moon after performing a critical braking maneuver, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced on Wednesday. This marks a significant milestone in the mission aimed at collecting samples from the far side of the moon.
At 10:12 a.m. Beijing Time, Chang’e-6 executed a near-moon braking procedure, a complex operation that reduced the probe’s speed sufficiently to be captured by the moon’s gravity. By lowering its velocity below the moon’s escape velocity, the probe transitioned from a trajectory around Earth to a stable orbit around the moon.
With the aid of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, which facilitates communication between Earth and the lunar far side, Chang’e-6 will adjust its orbit to the desired altitude and inclination. Once conditions are optimal, the spacecraft will separate into two components: the orbiter-returner module and the lander-ascender module.
The lander-ascender combination is scheduled to perform a soft landing within the South Pole-Aitken Basin, a region of great scientific interest due to its unique geological features. As one of the oldest and deepest impact basins in the solar system, it offers invaluable insights into lunar history and the broader processes that shaped our planetary neighborhood.
Upon landing, the probe will collect lunar soil and rock samples from the far side of the moon—a feat not yet accomplished by any other mission. These samples are expected to enhance our understanding of the moon’s composition and evolution, providing clues about the early solar system.
The Chang’e-6 mission builds upon the successes of previous lunar endeavors by the Chinese mainland, including the Chang’e-4 mission that achieved the first soft landing on the moon’s far side in 2019 and the Chang’e-5 mission, which returned lunar samples to Earth in 2020. This mission underscores the Chinese mainland’s commitment to advancing space exploration and contributing to global scientific knowledge.
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China's Chang'e-6 enters lunar orbit after near-moon braking
cgtn.com
