Lunar rock samples make it to Chinese retrieval vessel

Moon Mission Chang'e-6 is Underway - Lunar rock samples make it to Chinese retrieval vessel

China is making major progress in its quest to retrieve moon rocks from the lunar surface's hidden side. Xinhua, the nation's official news outlet, reports that the ascending segment of their lunar probe, "Chang'e-6," has successfully linked up with the main craft comprising an orbiter and a re-entry vehicle in the moon's orbit, completing the docking process.

Once joined, the gathered specimens were seamlessly transferred to the re-entry vehicle. The return journey is now set to kick off "at an appropriate moment." China has slated the landing to occur in Inner Mongolia's northern region.

This endeavor kicked off in early May when "Chang'e-6" was propelled from the Wenchang Space Launch Center situated on the southern Chinese island of Hainan. After roughly four and a half days of traveling, the probe arrived in the moon's orbit and then spent time scouting for optimal conditions for setting down.

Last weekend, it arrived at the South Pole-Aitken Basin's largest and oldest crater, a site that scientists have been keen on exploring to acquire samples. These rocks could provide valuable information about the moon's, Earth's, and solar system's early beginnings.

Read also:

1. The success of the Moon Mission Chang'e-6 is significant in the realm of space travel, as China aims to bring back lunar rock samples from the hidden side of the Moon.
2. The Lunar probe, Chang'e-6, was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan, China, initiating this ambitious space travel project.
3. The gathered moon rocks were transferred to the re-entry vehicle of the Chang'e-6 lunar probe, marking an important step in China's scientific exploration of the Moon's geological history.
4. The return journey of the Chang'e-6 lunar probe, carrying valuable lunar rock samples, is scheduled to land in Inner Mongolia's northern region, contributing to global scientific knowledge about the early beginnings of the Moon, Earth, and the solar system.
5. Xinhua, China's official news outlet, has reported on the progress of the Chang'e-6 Moon Mission, highlighting Beijing's commitment to scientific research and space travel, which is anticipated to bring substantial discoveries about our celestial neighbors.

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