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Chang'e 6 lunar sample return mission returns with samples from moon's far side

234 points by throwaway199956

by throwaway199956

2 subcomments

One thing they seems to have got working fairly reliably is the lunar landing of the probe using image processing to guide the final approach and touch down. It seems to have worked well in this and the previous mission, there are videos on youtube of that.
https://youtu.be/wUju9-cckKA?si=nZFOCga10mnCA_vs
The other component is the autonomous docking of the return probe in lunar orbit.
Soviets have done a lunar sample return, but they had a probe that would lift off directly into a earth return trajectory, but that seems to have limited both the liftoff mass and the possible zones in moon from which it can lift off. This seems a much more complex mission than that.
Also some animated videos of the misson show a skip re-entry back to earth, don't know if it is the case during this particular flight.

by jiehong

0 subcomment

They only linked to other articles of the guardians but not to the official announcement.
Official announcement by the CNSA: https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/n6758823/n6758838/c10565180/content....
Congratulations for such an achievement!

by lucubratory

1 subcomments

Super impressive. A return mission from the far side is very technically difficult, and pulling it off paves the way for a staffed lunar lander on the far side.

by omneity

1 subcomments

I sincerely hope there's no moonseed in it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonseed_(novel)

by standardUser

5 subcomments

Do either China or the US have plans to attempt a Mars sample return? Does China have the rocket power to attempt such a mission? The US seems focused solely on the return moon missions, with any Mars mission presumably behind at least 5 more major Artemis missions that are scheduled through 2031.

by scoot

12 subcomments

What are they expecting to be different about samples from the moon's far side to those previously collected?

0 subcomment

by anjel

0 subcomment

by PM_me_your_math

0 subcomment

by ck2

4 subcomments

The international moon base plan is fascinating.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lunar_Research_S...
(nuclear power plans by Russia not so much)
Is there enough gravity on the moon to prevent the long-term health problems from the space station like bone, muscle and vision loss?