China’s probe returns from the far side of the moon
Scientists hope that the samples it collected will help answer age-old questions
China’s lunar probe, called Chang’e-6 (pictured), landed in Inner Mongolia on June 25th after a nearly two-month-long mission to the Moon’s far side. Scientists hope that the samples it collected will provide new insights into lunar geology and the formation of planets. China is the only country to have explored the side of the Moon that is always facing away from Earth. The successful mission is a boost for China’s space programme, to which it has devoted vast resources. It hopes to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030. And it plans to establish a research facility at the lunar south pole, where America is also scouting locations for a base. Welcome to the new space race. ■
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “China’s probe returns from the far side of the moon”
From the June 29th 2024 edition
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