Chang'e-6 achieves three major technological breakthroughs
2024-06-28
At 14:07 on June 25th, the Chang'e-6 spacecraft safely landed in the designated area of Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia, carrying lunar samples from the far side of the moon, marking the first time in human history that lunar samples had been collected and returned from the far side. The State Council Information Office held a press conference on the 27th to introduce the relevant situation of the lunar exploration project Chang'e-6 mission. The lunar exploration project has embarked on a high-quality and cost-effective path of lunar exploration. On May 3rd, the Long March 5 Yao-8 carrier rocket successfully launched the Chang'e-6 probe into its designated orbit. After 11 stages of 53 days of challenges, including ground to moon transfer, near moon braking, separation of the four instruments, smooth lunar landing, surface sampling, lunar takeoff, rendezvous and docking, sample transfer, lunar waiting, lunar to ground transfer, and re-entry recovery, Chang'e-6 finally returned to Earth with full achievements. Bian Zhigang, Deputy Director of the National Space Administration, introduced that the Chang'e-6 mission is the most technologically advanced lunar exploration mission in China's aerospace history, achieving "three major technological breakthroughs" and "one world number one". It has broken through the design and control technology of the lunar retrograde orbit, intelligent sampling technology on the lunar back, and takeoff and ascent technology on the lunar back, achieving the world's first automatic sampling and return of the lunar back, once again setting a world record in China's aerospace industry. The Chang'e-5 mission is to sample and return from the front of the moon, while the Chang'e-6 mission is to implement sampling and return from the back of the moon with the support of the Queqiao 2 relay satellite. In response to new challenges, Hu Hao, the chief designer of the Chang'e-6 mission, introduced that as a backup for Chang'e-5, the production time of Chang'e-6 is relatively long. Before executing the mission, researchers conducted in-depth analysis of the quality and reliability of the products, making the entire system more sound, healthy, and reliable. In addition, researchers started developing the Queqiao 2 relay satellite from scratch in a relatively short period of time and overcame difficulties, conducting a large number of experiments and verification work. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the lunar exploration project. Over the past 20 years, with the strong collaboration of various units in the engineering leadership group, all comrades involved in the development and construction of the lunar exploration project have strengthened their mission and responsibility, "drawing a blueprint to the end" and steadily working step by step, achieving consecutive victories. Bian Zhigang stated that by gathering thousands of units and tens of thousands of scientific and technological workers from across the country, the lunar exploration project has formed a successful model for the implementation of major scientific and technological projects, and has embarked on a high-quality and efficient path of lunar exploration. The outstanding international payload work and pragmatic, efficient, and pragmatic international cooperation are a major feature of the Chang'e-6 mission. This mission is equipped with four international payloads, including the European Space Agency's lunar surface negative ion analyzer, the French radon detector, the Italian laser corner reflector, and the Pakistan Cubic Star, making it full of international style. Liu Yunfeng, the head of the International Cooperation Department of the National Space Administration, introduced that the international payload work is excellent. Among them, on May 8th, the Pakistani CubeStar successfully separated after the Chang'e-6 probe implemented near moon braking, captured and successfully transmitted images of the moon, and successfully completed the mission. On May 10th, China's National Space Administration handed over data from CubeStar to Pakistan. On June 2nd, after the lander and ascent combination landed on the moon, the French radon detector and the European Space Agency's lunar surface negative ion analyzer successfully carried out scientific exploration. The status of the Italian laser corner reflector is normal, with the radon detector working on the lunar surface for 32 hours and the lunar surface negative ion analyzer working on the lunar surface for 3 hours and 50 minutes. After the successful completion of the Chang'e-6 mission, Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 are progressing as planned. The main mission of Chang'e-7 is to survey some resources in the South Pole of the Moon, while Chang'e-8 will conduct technical verification on the in-situ utilization of lunar resources. "In the Chang'e-7 mission, six international payloads have been selected. Last year, the Chang'e-8 mission international cooperation opportunity announcement was released, providing about 200 kilograms of payload carrying space to the international community. So far, more than 30 cooperation applications have been received." Liu Yunfeng said. In the International Lunar Research Station project, NASA has signed cooperation agreements with more than 10 countries. At present, the Chinese side is formulating feasibility studies and will collaborate with partners on various forms of cooperation regarding future project tasks, project design, joint implementation, and scientific data sharing. Bian Zhigang introduced that the National Space Administration of China adheres to the principles of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful utilization, and inclusive development, and conducts various forms of international exchanges and cooperation in aerospace. We look forward to working hand in hand with more international peers to make new contributions to expanding human cognition, enhancing human well-being, and promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind in the field of outer space. The plan is to launch Tianwen-2 around 2025 to carry out asteroid exploration missions. In China's deep space exploration, besides lunar exploration, planetary exploration is also steadily advancing. It is reported that China plans to launch Tianwen-2 around 2025 to carry out asteroid exploration missions; Around 2030, Tianwen-3 and Tianwen-4 will be launched, respectively, to carry out Mars sampling and return missions and Jupiter exploration missions. The Tianwen-3 and Tianwen-4 missions are intensifying the research and development of key technologies, and refining the implementation plan. In addition, we are also discussing major national scientific and technological projects and projects such as heavy launch vehicles and reusable space transportation systems Bian Zhigang said. On December 17, 2020, Chang'e-5 brought back 1731 grams of lunar soil samples from the moon, which was the first sample of young volcanic rock areas on the lunar surface obtained by humans. Chinese scientists have discovered the sixth new mineral on the moon from the Chang'e-5 lunar sample and named it "Chang'e Stone". The study also proves that magma activity still existed on the moon 1.96 billion years ago, extending the known geological lifespan of the moon by 1 billion years. Before the Chang'e-6 mission, humans conducted a total of 10 samples on the moon, all located on the front side. The landing area of the Chang'e-6 probe is located in the Antarctic Aitken Basin area on the far side of the moon, which is the oldest and largest known impact crater on the moon. Li Chunlai, deputy chief designer of Chang'e-6 mission and researcher of the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, believes that studying the geological composition, material composition and evolution history of the Antarctic Aitken Basin region is helpful to understand the early geological evolution history of the moon and even the earth. It is reported that in order to effectively promote international cooperation, joint research and application in the field of lunar and deep space exploration, and promote the international sharing of scientific achievements, the National Space Administration of China has successively formulated the Measures for the Management of Lunar Samples and the Implementation Rules for International Cooperation on Lunar Samples and Scientific Data, and has published in detail the application process for lunar sample research and specific information on international cooperation on lunar samples. At present, the first international application and evaluation of Chang'e-5 lunar research samples has been initiated. (Lai Xin She)
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