Unveiling the Moon’s Hidden Face: China’s Groundbreaking Discovery Reveals Far Side’s Surprisingly Low Density
- A joint research team composed of researchers from the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China Center for Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering, and...
- The research team analyzed the soil samples brought back by China's Chang'e 6 spacecraft and found that they have distinct characteristics compared to the soil previously obtained on...
- The collected soil mainly contained rock fragments such as basalt, breccia, agglomerate, and glass.
Chinese Joint Research Team Publishes Groundbreaking Research Paper in National Science Review
A joint research team composed of researchers from the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China Center for Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering, and the Beijing Institute of Control Engineering has published a research paper in the National Science Review, shedding light on the characteristics of soil samples from the far side of the Moon.
The research team analyzed the soil samples brought back by China’s Chang’e 6 spacecraft and found that they have distinct characteristics compared to the soil previously obtained on the lunar front. The soil on the back of the Moon was found to have a lower density and a looser and more porous structure.
The collected soil mainly contained rock fragments such as basalt, breccia, agglomerate, and glass. The mineral analysis results showed that it was mainly composed of plagioclase, pyroxene, and glass, with a higher plagioclase content and lower olivine content compared to the lunar soil previously obtained by Chang’e 5. Additionally, a small amount of orthorhombic pyroxene was detected, suggesting the presence of non-basaloid material.
Chemically, the content of aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) and calcium oxide (CaO) was high, while the content of iron oxide (FeO) was relatively low, consistent with the characteristics of a mixture of Wolhae basalt and plagioclase. The content of trace elements such as thorium, uranium, and potassium was significantly lower than that of samples previously obtained from Chang’e 5 or the U.S. Apollo program.
This research paper is the first to be published since Chang’e 6 collected soil from the far side of the Moon and brought it to Earth. The Chang’e 6 spacecraft was launched by China on May 3 and successfully obtained soil samples from the far side of the Moon on June 4, returning to Earth 53 days after launch. The soil sample taken from the far side of the Moon carried by the Chang’e 6 return ship weighs 1935.3 g.
Related Topics
- Space Exploration
- Lunar Research
- China’s Space Program