China gears up for deep space missions after collecting 1,935 grams of lunar far side samples China is getting set for future deep space missions, having retrieved nearly two kilograms of lunar samples from the moon's far side.
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China gears up for deep space missions after collecting 1,935 grams of lunar far side samples
Andrew Jones June 28, 2024
HELSINKI — China is getting set for future deep space missions, having retrieved nearly two kilograms of lunar samples from the moon’s far side.
The Chang’e-6 reentry capsule
landed back on Earth June 25, successfully ending a 53-day mission. The capsule was recovered as planned in grasslands of Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia.
The capsule was airlifted to Beijing and opened June 26 to retrieve the sample canister. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced Friday that it contains 1,935.3 grams of samples.
Deep space missions ahead
CNSA officials stated Thursday that its second Tianwen mission is set to launch in 2025.
Tianwen-2 is a combinted asteroid sample return and comet rendezvous mission. It is currently scheduled to lift off on a Long March 3B rocket in May 2025.
The mission will target near-Earth asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa, collecting samples and returning to Earth around 2.5 years after launch. The spacecraft will deliver samples then head for main-belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS.
It was also reiterated that the third and fourth Tianwen missions will launch around 2030. These are the
Tianwen-3 Mars sample return and
Tianwen-4 Jupiter mission. The latter will, currently, include a solar-powered Jupiter orbiter and a smaller, radioisotope-powered spacecraft to make a flyby of Uranus.
Next moon missions, cooperation
Next up for the moon, China is preparing for the
Chang’e-7 lunar south pole mission expected to target Shackleton crater. It will be supported by the Queqiao-2 relay satellite which facilitated the Chang’e-6 mission.
CNSA
published an announcement of opportunities in late 2023 for its 2028
Chang’e-8 lunar south pole mission. There are 200 kilograms of payload capacity for international cooperation. CNSA revealed Thursday it has received more than 30 letters of intent regarding collaborating on the mission.
China gears up for deep space missions after collecting 1,935 grams of lunar far side samples China is getting set for future deep space missions, having retrieved nearly two kilograms of lunar samples from the moon's far side.
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