Chang e-6 brings samples from Moon

Context

  • China’s Chang e-6 became the world’s first spacecraft to bring back samples from the part of the Moon that the Earth never gets to see.

Why explore the far side of the Moon?

  • The Moon’s far side is often referred to as the dark side because it cannot be seen from the Earth, not because it does not catch the Sun’s rays.
  • The Moon is tidally locked with the Earth and therefore, we see only one side of the Moon, also known as the near side.
  • The far side has been under the spotlight in recent years as it is very different from the near side.
  • It has a thicker crust, more craters and fewer maria, or plains where lava once flowed.
  • Examining the samples from the far side can help scientists solve mysteries about the origin and evolution of the Moon — till now, scientists have only been able to analyse samples from the near side. 

Back to Basics

About Chang e-6 mission

  • Chang’e-6 is the first mission in human history to return samples from the far side of the moon.
  • The Chang’e-6 was a 53-day-long mission.
  • After reaching the Moon’s orbit, the mission’s orbiter circled the natural satellite while its lander descended into the 2,500-kilometre-wide South Pole-Aitken basin on the lunar surface.
  • China is the only country to achieve a soft-landing on the far side of the Moon.
  • In 2019, its Chang’e-4 mission landed on the region and explored the Moon’s Von Karman crater with the help of a rover.
Chang e-6
Pic Courtesy: Zetagravit

Source: IE

Visit Abhiyan PEDIA (One of the Most Followed / Recommended) for UPSC Revisions: Click Here

IAS Abhiyan is now on Telegram: Click on the Below link to Join our Channels to stay Updated 

IAS Abhiyan Official: Click Here to Join

For UPSC Mains Value Edition (Facts, Quotes, Best Practices, Case Studies): Click Here to Join

Leave a Reply