Chang'e 6 is a Chinese lunar lander and sample return mission designed to collect samples from the Moon's far side and return them to Earth.

Where did Chang'e 6 land on the Moon?

Chang'e 6 landed in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, specifically in the southern part of the Apollo crater at coordinates 41.6385° S, 153.9852° W.

What is the main goal of Chang'e 6?

The main goal of Chang'e 6 is to collect approximately 2 kg of lunar samples from the far side of the Moon and safely return them to Earth.

How does Chang'e 6 collect lunar samples?

Chang'e 6 uses a robotic arm equipped with a sampling scoop and a coring drill to gather samples from the Moon's surface and up to 2 meters below.

What instruments does Chang'e 6 carry?

Chang'e 6 is equipped with landing and survey cameras, the DORN instrument from France, the NILS instrument from Sweden and ESA, a laser retroreflector from Italy, and a Pakistani ICUBE-Q cubesat. It also carries a small rover.

What is the total mass of the Chang'e 6 spacecraft?

The total mass of the Chang'e 6 spacecraft is approximately 8,200 kg.

How does Chang'e 6 return samples to Earth?

Samples are collected by the lander and transferred to the ascender, which lifts off and docks with the orbiter-return vehicle in lunar orbit. The return vehicle then brings the samples back to Earth, reentering the atmosphere and landing safely.

What propulsion system does Chang'e 6 use?

Chang'e 6 uses a 3,000 N rocket engine for lunar orbit braking and a 3,000 N booster on the ascender vehicle for lift-off from the lunar surface.

How does Chang'e 6 generate power?

Chang'e 6 generates power using solar panels.

What is the ICUBE-Q cubesat's role in Chang'e 6?

The ICUBE-Q cubesat, contributed by Pakistan, was released into lunar orbit to support the mission's scientific goals.

What is the function of the DORN instrument on Chang'e 6?

The Detection of Outgassing RadoN (DORN) instrument from France is used to study radon outgassing on the lunar surface.

What did Chang'e 6's small rover do on the Moon?

The small rover drove a short distance on the lunar surface, taking pictures of the Chang'e 6 lander.

How long did it take for Chang'e 6 to land after separating from the orbiter?

It took roughly 15 minutes for Chang'e 6 to land after separating from the orbiter.

What method did Chang'e 6 use to reenter Earth's atmosphere?

Chang'e 6 used an atmospheric skip reentry technique to return to Earth.

How much material did Chang'e 6 bring back from the Moon?

Chang'e 6 returned 1.9353 kg of lunar material to Earth.

What is the role of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite in the Chang'e 6 mission?

The Queqiao-2 relay satellite facilitates communication between Chang'e 6 and mission control on Earth, enabling data transmission from the Moon's far side.

What modifications were made to Chang'e 6 compared to Chang'e 5?

Chang'e 6 has similar architecture to Chang'e 5 but features updated instruments, including new payloads like the DORN instrument and the ICUBE-Q cubesat.

Which countries contributed to the Chang'e 6 mission payloads?

France, Sweden, ESA, Italy, and Pakistan contributed various scientific instruments and payloads to the Chang'e 6 mission.

Which country has the Chang'e 6 mission?

China has the Chang'e 6 mission as part of its lunar exploration program.

What is the power source of Chang'e 6?

The power source of Chang'e 6 is solar panels.

Where did Chang'e 6 land?

The landing segment of the Chang'e 6 mission touched down in a relatively flat area in the southern portion of the Apollo crater, which lies within the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) impact basin on the lunar far side.

Is the Chang'e 6 mission successful?

Yes, China's Chang'e 6 lunar module successfully returned to Earth, completing its historic mission to collect the first-ever samples from the far side of the Moon.

Chang'e is the spirit of the Moon and an immortal moon goddess in Chinese mythology. She lives on the Moon with the Jade Rabbit after drinking an elixir of immortality.

Why is China probing the far side of the Moon?

China is probing the far side of the Moon to collect soil and rock samples, aiming to understand differences between the less-explored far side and the near side of the Moon.

Is Chang'e 3 still active?

Yes, the Chang'e 3 lander and its Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) are still operational as of 2024, eleven years after landing on the Moon.

Who is Chang'e in China?

Chang'e is a Chinese moon goddess and the topic of many stories in Chinese mythology. She is associated with her husband, Houyi, an elixir of life, and the Moon.

Which country launched the lunar mission?

The first crewed missions to the Moon were launched by the Soviet Union and the United States during the Space Race.

What is the Chinese Chang'e 6 mission?

The Chang'e 6 mission is China's lunar exploration mission that successfully landed on the far side of the Moon and collected soil and rock samples.

Did China land on the Moon in 2024?

Yes, China's Chang'e 6 probe successfully landed on the far side of the Moon in 2024.

Did three Chinese astronauts return to Earth after a six-month mission?

Yes, three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth after a six-month stay on the Tiangong space station as part of China's space exploration program.

Has Russia put a man on the Moon?

No, the Soviet Union sent the first human to space, but Soviet cosmonauts never landed on the Moon.

When did Japan land on the Moon?

Japan's lunar lander touched down on the Moon on January 19, 2024, at the Sea of Nectar.

What is on the dark side of the Moon?

The far side of the Moon has rugged terrain, a multitude of impact craters, and relatively few flat and dark lunar maria.

Is China building a Moon base?

Yes, China, along with Russia, is planning to establish the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) on the Moon.

Does NASA have a Moon base?

NASA plans to establish a crewed lunar base in 2028 as part of its Artemis program.

Did China land on the Moon in 2013?

Yes, China's first successful Moon landing was in 2013 with the Chang'e 3 mission.

Does China have its own space station?

Yes, China operates its own space station called Tiangong, also known as the 'Heavenly Palace.'

Has NASA found life on the Moon?

No, the Moon's weak atmosphere and lack of liquid water cannot support life as we know it.

Is the American flag still on the Moon?

Yes, the American flags placed during the Apollo missions are still standing on the Moon.

Chang'e 6 Mission

About Chang’e 6 Mission

Chang’e 6 is a lunar lander and sample return mission that successfully reached the Moon’s far side, landing in the South Pole-Aitken Basin. It was launched on May 3, 2024, at 09:27 UT (5:27 p.m. Beijing Time) using a Long March 5 rocket from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center. The mission returned lunar samples to Earth on June 25.

Spacecraft and Components

With a design resembling the Chang’e 5 mission but some payload modifications, Chang’e 6 weighs around 8,200 kg. The spacecraft consists of four main parts: an orbiter, a return vehicle, a lander, and an ascender. The entire system enters lunar orbit, where the lander and ascender separate to land on the Moon. The lander weighs roughly 3,200 kg when it touches down. Lunar samples are gathered and stored in the ascender, which lifts off and reunites with the orbiter-return vehicle, transferring the sample container to the return vehicle. This return capsule then travels back to Earth, reentering the atmosphere and landing safely with the samples.

The propulsion system for entering lunar orbit uses a 3,000 N engine. Solar panels generate power for the spacecraft. Chang’e 5 had a robotic arm equipped with a scoop, a coring drill, and a sample chamber, while the Chang’e 6 mission features several additional instruments: a landing and survey camera system, the Detection of Outgassing RadoN (DORN) device from France, the Negative Ions at the Lunar Surface (NILS) instrument contributed by Sweden and the European Space Agency (ESA), and a laser retroreflector (INRRI) from Italy. A Pakistani cubesat, ICUBE-Q, and a small rover are also part of the mission’s equipment.

Mission Timeline

Chang’e 6 entered lunar orbit on May 8, 2024, at 02:21 UT, achieving an initial altitude between 200 km and 380,000 km, and gradually circularized its path. On May 8, it also released the ICUBE-Q cubesat. The spacecraft spent 20 days orbiting to pinpoint a suitable landing site before the lander separated. The lander touched down on June 1 at 22:23 UT (6:23 a.m. Beijing Time, June 2) in the southern Apollo crater, located at coordinates 41.6385° S, 153.9852° W. Following the landing, solar panels, antennas, and scientific instruments were deployed, with communication established via the Queqiao-2 relay satellite for consistent data transmission from the Moon’s far side.

The mission aimed to retrieve about 2 kg of lunar material, utilizing a robotic scoop and drill to collect samples from the surface and up to 2 meters deep. The samples were loaded into the ascender, which took off on June 3 at 23:38 UT (7:38 a.m. Beijing Time, June 4). The ascender docked with the orbiter-return vehicle on June 6 at 06:48 UT, transferring the samples by 07:24 UT. The ascender was subsequently discarded to crash on the Moon. The orbiter-return vehicle departed lunar orbit on June 21, employing a skip reentry maneuver to deliver the samples to Earth on June 25. The capsule successfully landed in Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia, at 06:07 UT (2:07 p.m. Beijing Time), returning 1.9353 kg of lunar material.

Alternate Names