The Chinese National Space Agency is attempting something no one else has done before: collecting rocks from the far side of the Moon and bringing them back to Earth. The ambitious Chang’e 6 mission is now orbiting the Moon ahead of landing and it is filled with scientific payload beyond the sample retrieval apparatus. But one particular item had not been announced in advance and was only spotted in a photo. There’s a rover attached to the lander.
The only other mission to soft-land on the far side has been Chang’e 4 and it also carried a rover, Yutu-2. SpaceNews’ Andrew Jones reported the presence of the mini rover in photos of the lander before launch. Once you see it, it is clear that it is not really inconspicuous. Still, the purpose of the mini rover remains uncertain.
A few days after launch, a post from the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics (SIC), which is under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, described more details about the rover, which is meant to carry a small infrared spectrometer. This can be used to study the composition of lunar rocks as well as the presence of water.
Whether this will be used to complete the Chang’e 6 retrieval mission or whether it has its own scientific objectives remains to be seen. It is also unclear whether it will jump off or if there is a different way for the little vehicle to be deployed, such as a ramp. Hopefully, we will know once Chang’e 6 actually lands on the Moon. The targeted landed zone is the Apollo crater within the South Pole-Aitken Basin.
This is a fascinating zone that includes a massive structure buried underneath the basin, which might be a part of the enormous space rock that hit the Moon and created the basin 4 billion years ago. The mission team hopes to find some portions of the lunar mantle that were thrown out during that impact.
Since the far side of the Moon is entering its 14-day night, the mission will not land immediately. Apollo will see a sunset on Monday, May 13, and while Chang’e 6 will only be on the surface for a short period, it’s better to have full sunlight on it. Dawn at the crater will be on May 25, so the landing is expected to take place later this month or in early June.
[H/T: Space News]
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
