Beijing, May 3—The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced that preparations are in full swing for the launch of the Chang’e-6 lunar probe on May 3. This ambitious mission aims to collect samples from the far side of the moon, marking a historic first in human space exploration.
The Chang’e-6 mission represents a significant leap in China’s lunar exploration program. By targeting the moon’s far side—a region never sampled before—the mission seeks to deepen our understanding of lunar geology and the early history of the Earth-moon system.
According to the CNSA, the probe is set to lift off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in south China’s Hainan Province. The Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket, which will propel the probe toward the moon, is undergoing final preparations and will soon be fueled with propellant.
The mission faces a narrow launch window of just 50 minutes each day over two consecutive days. To accommodate this, the rocket team has meticulously designed ten possible flight trajectories to ensure a successful launch within this tight timeframe.
On Wednesday, the Wenchang Space Launch Site conducted a final rehearsal to fine-tune all systems. The site’s meteorological team has enhanced monitoring and analysis to mitigate any weather-related risks that could impact the launch.
Last Saturday, the Chang’e-6 probe and the Long March-5 Y8 rocket were vertically transported to the launch pad, a crucial step signaling the mission’s imminent commencement.
China’s lunar exploration journey began with the Chang’e missions, named after the moon goddess in Chinese mythology. The success of Chang’e-6 is expected to pave the way for future deep-space exploration, contributing valuable scientific data and demonstrating China’s growing capabilities in space technology.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
