China's unmanned Chang'e 6 spacecraft has successfully landed on the Moon in a landmark mission to collect soil and rock samples from the far side of Earth's natural satellite, as announced by the China National Space Administration. The probe touched down in a pre-selected area in the northeastern part of the South Pole-Aitken basin at 6:23 a.m. Beijing time on Sunday.

Key Points:

• An unmanned probe has successfully touched down on the lunar surface, marking a historic milestone in space exploration
• Scientists believe that the samples collected by the Chinese probe could reveal crucial insights into the Moon's history and evolution, particularly due to the significant differences between its two hemispheres, at least on the surface.

The lander is anticipated to undergo initial checks before commencing the gathering of samples from the lunar surface using its robotic arm. If successfully returned, these samples would offer scientists the first-ever insights into the Moon's little-explored dark hemisphere, which always remains hidden from Earth's view.

The mission is projected to last around 53 days, as stated by the Chinese space agency. Additionally, the agency shared stunning footage captured by the spacecraft during the final moments of landing.

Launched on May 3, the probe is the sixth in the Chang'e Project – the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program – and the second intended for sample return. Its predecessor, Chang'e 5, retrieved rocks from the Moon's near side in 2020, yielding surprising findings about the celestial body, as the samples were found to be much younger than those obtained by the US Apollo and Soviet Luna missions 50 years ago.

Scientists believe that the samples collected by the Chinese probe could unveil crucial insights into the Moon's history and evolution, particularly due to the significant differences between its two hemispheres, at least on the surface. For example, while the near side is marked by volcanic seas, such features are rare on the far side, the reasons for which remain unknown.

"First-hand, direct samples from the Moon's far side are essential for providing us with a deeper understanding of the characteristics and disparities between the two sides of the Moon, and for unraveling the Moon's secrets," stated Zeng Xingguo, a scientist at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, during the launch of Chang'e 6 last month, as reported by Xinhua.

"Samples from the South Pole-Aitken basin may also contain ancient materials ejected from deep within the mantle by the enormous impact that created the basin itself, which may provide insights into the state of the Moon when it first formed around 4.5 billion years ago," he told the South China Morning Post.

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Source: https://www.rt.com/news/598657-china-moon-far-side-landing/