China’s Chang’e 6 Spacecraft Successfully Returns with Samples from Far Side of Moon
In a landmark achievement, China’s Chang’e 6 mission has successfully brought back samples from the far side of the moon, marking the first-ever return of materials from this rarely explored lunar region. This historic feat not only underscores China’s growing prowess in space exploration but also signals the intensifying space race with the U.S. to establish a presence at the strategically valuable lunar south pole. After a 53-day mission, Chang’e 6’s sample-return capsule parachuted down to a preselected site in the grasslands of China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on June 25 at 2:07 A.M. EDT. The capsule contains approximately two kilograms of rock and soil collected from the northeastern quadrant of the moon’s South Pole–Aitken (SPA) Basin. This region, one of the largest and oldest craters in the solar system, was formed over four billion years ago by a massive impact. The samples from this area are expected to provide significant insights into lunar hi...
