China has taken a significant leap towards realizing its dream of landing astronauts on the moon by 2030, making remarkable progress in 2024 with its ambitious space endeavors.
On May 3, China successfully launched its latest lunar probe, the Chang’e-6, marking a historic mission aimed at collecting samples from the far side of the moon—a feat never before accomplished by humanity. The probe aimed to bring back 2 kilograms of lunar material, offering an unprecedented opportunity to study the moon’s distant hemisphere.
History was made on June 25 when the returner of the Chang’e-6 safely landed in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The mission successfully brought back 1,935.3 grams of lunar samples, providing scientists with invaluable material to unlock the moon’s secrets.
The retrieved samples have already led to groundbreaking discoveries. A study published in Nature on December 19 revealed that the moon’s magnetic field experienced a surprising resurgence in strength 2.8 billion years ago, following a significant decline around 3.1 billion years ago. This finding challenges previous understandings of lunar history and offers new insights into the moon’s geological evolution.
China’s achievements with the Chang’e-6 mission not only mark a milestone in its lunar exploration program but also contribute to global scientific knowledge. As the nation continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, it moves one step closer to its goal of sending astronauts to the moon by 2030.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
