Unveiling the Moon’s Hidden Secrets: Chang’e-6 Lunar Sample Revealed in Stunning Detail

CCTV News: In June 2024, the Chang’e-6 mission of my country’s lunar exploration project successfully completed the feat of sampling samples from the back of the moon for the first time, bringing back 1,935.3 grams of precious samples. When the Chang’e-6 lunar samples returned, the lunar soil was packed into special sealed storage tanks and brought back to Earth. Now nearly three months have passed, and these precious extraterrestrial visitors have completed the unlocking process. Based on these lunar back samples, Chinese scientists recently published the first scientific results of Chang’e-6 lunar sample research. These glass bottles contain samples from Chang’e-6. What are the characteristics of these samples from the far side of the moon?

　　The lunar soil samples taken by Chang’e-6 were divided into 10 parts

You can see in the lunar sample storage cabinet that the bottom layer is the surface sample of Chang’e-6. It was divided into 10 glassware, each about 150 grams.

　　The Chang’e-6 moon back sample is slightly lighter in color than the Chang’e-5 sample.

Compared with the lunar sample Chang’e-5 in the upper layer, the color of the lunar sample Chang’e-6 appears to be slightly lighter due to the different mineral composition in it.

　　Study on the separate preparation of rock fragments and powders from surface samples

The basic packaging and preparation of Chang’e-6 surface samples have been completed at the Lunar Sample Laboratory. According to experts, it took more than two months to open and separate the samples and prepare them into small samples that can be used for experiments.

　　The perforated specimens are packaged and prepared on the nitrogen-filled, unsealed operating table.

Compared with surface samples, packaging drilling samples is more difficult and is expected to take another month or two. The reporter saw that scientific researchers were processing samples taken from the Chang’e-6 drilling in the nitrogen-filled and unsealed operating platform.

Li Chunlai, a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and deputy chief designer of the Chang’e-6 mission project, said that in terms of weight, the shovel sampling should account for the majority of the 1,935.3 grams, about 1,610 grams, and the rest should be drilled. However, most of the drilled sample will remain attached to the sample bag and cannot be removed, so the weight will be difficult to measure.

Although the punched sample weighs less than 20%, since it is inside a bag divided into 1.5 cm thick samples representing the depth, great care is taken during handling. For division into more than 100 samples, it may take about one to two months to complete the pre-processing of the punched samples.

　　Bridging the gap in research on the far side of the Moon and opening a new perspective on lunar research

The 1,935.3 grams of precious samples brought back by the Chang’e-6 mission came from the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the Moon. Although these samples from the far side of the Moon are still in the early stages of packaging, processing and preliminary research, these extraterrestrial visitors, as “messengers” from the ancient times of the Moon, have allowed scientists to explore the mysterious land on the far side of the Moon for the first time. Unknown territory.

It is understood that during the extensive human exploration journey of the Moon, a total of 10 samples have been taken from the Moon, all of which were located on the front side of the Moon, including the samples from Chang’e-5. In a sense, humans have only known half of the Moon so far.

The Chang’e-6 sampling site is located in the South Pole-Aitken Basin area on the far side of the Moon. This area is the oldest meteorite impact crater on the Moon, and is of great significance to the study of the formation of the Moon and even the evolutionary history of the solar system. In addition, this is also the deepest meteorite impact crater on the Moon, and it is possible to collect samples from the deep part of the Moon and even from the lunar mantle, providing first-hand information for studying the material composition of the Moon’s interior.

The samples from the far side of the Moon brought back by Chang’e-6 not only fill the historical gap in the study of the far side of the Moon, but also provide direct evidence for our study of the early evolution of the Moon, volcanic activity and impact history on the far side, and also open up new areas for understanding the geological differences between the far side and the fore side of the Moon.