China launches Chang'e 6 sample-return mission to moon's far side (video)

[Judi Lynn]

By Mike Wall published 4 hours ago

Chang'e 6 will haul dirt and rocks home from the mysterious lunar far side.

China is headed back to the moon's mysterious far side — and this time, the nation will bring back some souvenirs.

The robotic Chang'e 6 mission launched today (May 3) at 5:27 a.m. EDT (0927 GMT; 5:27 p.m. Beijing time), riding a Long March 5 rocket off a pad at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, in southern China's Hainan province.

If all goes according to plan, Chang'e 6 will touch down on the moon's far side, scoop up some samples and rocket them back to Earth — something that's never been done before. Indeed, just one mission has ever soft-landed on the lunar far side: Chang'e 4, which put a lander-rover duo down in January 2019.



China's Chang'e 6 lunar far side mission launches atop a Long March 5 rocket on May 3, 2024. (Image credit: CCTV+)
The moon's hidden face

The moon is tidally locked to Earth, completing one rotation in the same amount of time it takes to orbit our planet. This means that observers on Earth only ever see one face of the moon — what we call the near side.

More:
https://www.space.com/china-change-6-moon-sample-return-mission-launch

[lastlib]

1. This is cool. I wish NASA would try this.

"There is no dark side of the moon. Matter of fact, it's ALL dark." (except when the sun shines on it...)