The capsule containing samples from the dark side of the Moon, collected by the Chinese mission Chang’e-6, was opened on Friday (28th) at a special ceremony at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This event marks a historic moment in space exploration, as it is the first time that scientists have the opportunity to study samples directly from the dark side of our natural satellite.
The Chang’e-6 mission, which returned to Earth on Tuesday (25th), brought back approximately 1.935 kg of lunar samples. After a 53-day mission, the capsule successfully landed on the Earth’s surface, and its contents are now being prepared for detailed analysis by scientists from around the world.
The significance of this mission cannot be overstated. The exploration of the Moon’s dark side, an area that has never been directly studied before, could provide new insights into the formation and development of our satellite and the solar system as a whole. The collected samples have the potential to reveal important information about the composition of the lunar soil and its geological properties.
The global scientific community is eager to examine the data and samples from Chang’e-6, which promise to significantly enhance our understanding of the Moon and contribute to future space missions.
Following the return of the lunar module, the Chang’e-6 mission enters a new phase of scientific research. The samples, securely transported to the laboratory, will initially be stored and analyzed by Chinese scientists before becoming available to the global scientific community.
Although the samples have not yet undergone detailed laboratory analysis, an initial visual inspection suggests that their composition may differ significantly from that of samples from the near side of the Moon. The samples collected by the previous mission, Chang’e-5, in 2020 were described as fine and loose. In contrast, the samples brought back by Chang’e-6 do not exhibit these characteristics.
“From their appearance, the samples from Chang’e-6 seem stickier and more compact than previous lunar samples. This difference is evident, and we look forward to the new scientific discoveries that will result from the systematic examination of the upcoming work,” said Ge Ping, spokesperson for the Chang’e-6 mission.
These differences in composition could provide valuable insights into the geology and history of the Moon’s dark side, a region that remains mysterious and unexplored. The detailed analysis of the samples promises to reveal important information about the formation and development of Earth’s natural satellite.
The analysis of the samples brought back by the Chang’e-6 mission will require an interdisciplinary approach involving various academic fields. Research will range from basic analyses of the physical and chemical properties of the samples to more complex geological and geochemical studies. Investigating these materials could yield valuable information about the formation and development of the Moon’s dark side and uncover details that may expand our knowledge of Earth’s natural satellite.
“As for the next steps, the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which coordinate the Earth system for our lunar mission, will be responsible for opening the sample container. They will then prepare and package the samples collected through drilling and surface sampling for storage,” explained Ge Ping.
According to regulations set by the National Space Administration of China, the samples will initially be analyzed by Chinese scientists. After a period of six months, access to the samples will be expanded to research institutions and scientists worldwide. This process allows for comprehensive international collaboration and the integration of various perspectives and technologies, thereby enhancing the understanding and impact of the scientific discoveries from this historic mission.
The analysis of the samples from the Chang’e-6 mission will necessitate an interdisciplinary approach encompassing different academic disciplines. Research will range from fundamental analyses of the physical and chemical properties of the samples to in-depth geological and geochemical studies. These investigations are crucial for better understanding the formation and development of the Moon’s dark side and providing valuable information about our natural satellite.
Spokesperson Ge Ping emphasized that scientists from around the world are invited to submit proposals for the examination of the historic lunar samples. “China has always maintained a positive and open attitude towards international proposals for the investigation of lunar samples. This aims to effectively promote international cooperation in lunar and deep space exploration, conduct joint research and applications, and share scientific achievements,” said Ge Ping.
According to the regulations of the National Space Administration of China, the samples will be made available to research institutions and international scientists after an initial period of six months. This collaborative approach enables a more comprehensive and integrated analysis, enhancing global understanding of the Moon and the solar system.
The results of these analyses could provide significant insights into the evolution of the Moon, Earth, and the solar system as a whole. Moreover, they will support China’s goals of exploring and utilizing lunar resources, deepening its capabilities in space research, and advancing scientific understanding of the cosmos.
The lunar samples collected by the Chang’e-6 mission were obtained using a drill and a robotic arm at a site within the vast South Pole-Aitken basin. This basin is a large impact crater formed about 4 billion years ago, located on the Moon’s dark side, which is never visible from Earth.
After collection, the samples were lifted from the lunar surface by an elevator that transferred them to a reentry vehicle in lunar orbit. This reentry vehicle then returned to Earth after separating from the lunar orbiter, completing the transport mission of the samples.
The Chang’e-6 mission is regarded as the most technically complex mission China has undertaken to date. Since its launch on May 3, the mission’s progress has generated great interest and excitement in the country. Recently, images of the Chang’e-6 lunar module, displaying the Chinese flag and seemingly engraved with the symbol “zhong”—an abbreviation for China—on the lunar surface have gone viral on Chinese social networks, symbolizing a significant milestone in national space exploration.
