In 2017, a landmark achievement was quietly born in the aerospace field - Chang'e-6 completed the development of its main products. Although this news did not cause a sensation in the world, it did make waves within the industry. It not only represents another great leap forward in China's deep space exploration technology, but also indicates that a new chapter in the future of lunar exploration is about to begin. The development process of Chang'e-6 is a combination of the efforts and wisdom of many top scientists and engineers at home and abroad, from the conceptual design to the actual finished product, every step of the way has been carefully calculated and rigorously tested to ensure that it can work properly in the extreme outer space environment, bringing back valuable lunar soil samples for mankind.
The time came on April 20, 2019, and on this day, the Chinese lunar exploration project team officially announced that the main goal of Chang'e-6 was locked to achieve unmanned automatic sampling and return. This decision is undoubtedly a continuation and deepening of the previous scientific research achievements, and it is also a bold attempt for mankind to explore the boundaries of the universe. Unmanned sample return means that the probe will not only have to autonomously complete complex sampling tasks on the lunar surface, but also safely bring samples back to Earth, which is technically extremely demanding. Scientists must consider every possible scenario, from the environmental adaptation of the extreme temperature difference on the lunar surface to the thermal protection of high-speed re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
Fast forward to September 29, 2023, and the China National Space Administration announced an important plan to the world: Chang'e-6 is scheduled to be launched around 2024. This news is like a time bomb, which has aroused widespread concern in the whole society. People are full of anticipation for the upcoming lunar exploration mission, and they are also proud of the rapid development of China's space science and technology. As the launch date approached, scientists stepped up to make final commissioning and preparations to ensure that everything went smoothly as planned.
In January 2024, at the beginning of the new year, the Chang'e-6 mission probe products were successfully delivered to the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China. Here, they will undergo a final "medical examination" and preparation. As China's new generation of deep space exploration window, the Wenchang launch site is equipped with world-class facilities and technical support, and is an important starting point for carrying the space dream of the Chinese people.
On April 27, the work of the Chang'e-6 and Long March-5 Yao-8 launch vehicles in the technical area finally came to an end. The duo has completed all ground testing and preparations, and the next step is to transfer to the launch area, where they await that exciting moment.
On May 1, International Labor Day, Chang'e-6 completed the last inter-system joint exercise before launch. This joint exercise is a comprehensive test of the ability of the various systems of the detector to work together, and it is also the final run-in of the operation process of the launch team. All the data is carefully analysed and all the procedures are checked again to ensure that nothing is lost at the time of launch.
finally ushered in the historic moment of 17:27 on May 3, 2024. At the Wenchang Cosmodrome, with a loud bang, the Long March 5 Yao-8 carrier rocket carrying the Chang'e-6 probe soared into the sky, accurately entering the predetermined Earth-Moon transfer orbit. At this moment, the hearts of countless people flew into the vast space with Chang'e-6, and flew to the ancient silver-white moon. The complete success of the launch mission is not only a milestone in China's space history, but also a major breakthrough in the journey of mankind's exploration of the universe.
Is such a space race really beneficial to the long-term development of mankind? While huge resources are being invested in the exploration of outer space, problems such as poverty, war, and environmental pollution still exist on Earth. This makes people wonder if our ultimate goal is the sea of stars, or a more harmonious home on earth? There may be no standard answer to this question, but it is like a satellite hanging in space, constantly sending signal points above our heads, reminding us not to forget to look back at the land under our feet while chasing the dream of stars.