Chang'e-6 is the sixth probe of the Chang'e lunar exploration program developed by the mainland. Its core mission is to collect about 2 kilograms of samples from the far side of the moon and bring them back to Earth for analysis.
At 17:27 on May 3, 2024, Chang'e-6 was launched by a Long March 5 Yao-8 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China, and then accurately entered the Earth-Moon transfer orbit, and the launch mission was a complete success. It will land samples on the Apollo crater in the mid-latitudes of the Aiken Basin on the far side of the Moon and return.
So, how did Chang'e-6, as a satellite, achieve the moon landing and sample collection without a lunar rover in this mission? It turned out that the Chang'e-6 satellite was sampled through the following series of complex and delicate steps.
First of all, after Chang'e-6 enters the large elliptical circumlunar orbit, it will release the Ba Cube satellite according to the pre-planned plan.
Then, when Chang'e-6 flies near the moon, it will perform a "braking" braking operation, through which its relative velocity is lower than the moon's escape velocity, so that it is successfully captured by the moon's gravity, and then flies around the moon.
Then, researchers need to carefully select a site of great scientific value for Chang'e-6. With the strong support of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, the Chang'e-6 probe will adjust the altitude and inclination of the circumlunar orbit, and will choose the right time to separate the orbiter returner assembly from the lander ascender assembly.
Subsequently, the lander ascender assembly will make a soft landing on the far side of the Moon, and sampling will be carried out on the far side of the Moon as planned. In the sampling and packaging process, Chang'e-6 will use two sampling methods, drilling and surface taking, to obtain samples at different levels and depths, and will also carry out various scientific explorations simultaneously on the far side of the moon.
After the sampling package is completed, the ascender will take off from the lunar surface and perform a precise rendezvous and docking with the orbit-return assembly, passing precious lunar samples to the returner.
Finally, the returner will go through a series of complex and challenging processes, such as the transfer of the moon to the earth, and re-entry into the earth at close to the second cosmic velocity, and finally successfully return to the earth with incomparably precious lunar samples.
Unexpectedly, the process of Chang'e-6 completing this series of missions was so complex and amazing!
The complex process of the Chang'e-6 mission has taught us that scientific exploration requires careful planning, rigorous implementation and multi-faceted collaboration, and that every step of the process is crucial, while also demonstrating the spirit of humanity's continuous pursuit of excellence and the courage to challenge the unknown.