China launched its complex and ambitious Chang'e-6 mission Friday to collect the first ever samples from the far side of the moon. Eastern (0930 UTC) May 3, carried the (rough) 8, 200-kilogram Chang'e-6 into orbit.
A first second stage burn was completed 12 minutes launch, with a trans-lunar injection(跨月轨道) burn set for around 14 minutes later. Spacecraft (separate) is scheduled for around 37 minutes into flight. If successful, samples (deliver) by the 53-day-long mission could change our understanding of the Earthand the history of the early solar system.
Chang'e-6 is a four-module spacecraft. Its orbiter(人造卫星) will put the mission in lunar orbit, after a lander will detach to land in the Apollo crater on the moon's far side. As the far side of the moon is never visible to Earth, due to our planet slowing the moon's rotation leaving it tidally locked-in a way that relates to the the rise and fall of the sea, a relay satellite is needed for communication between Earth and the moon's hidden side. For this, China (launch) Queqiao-2 in March into a specialized lunar orbit.
After landing, the spacecraft will use a drill and scoop to gather 2, 000 grams of lunar material, reaching down two meters. These samples will (load) into an ascent vehicle that will return to lunar orbit and perform complex, delicate docking(对接) with the orbiter. From here, the samples are sent to a reentry capsule. The orbiter will prepare for the return to Earth. The reentry capsule will be released just prior reaching Earth and will first skip off the planet's atmosphere. This will help it slow it down before landing in Inner Mongolia.
