In order to prepare for the first-ever Chinese crewed landing and the establishment of a base on the lunar south pole, China is set to launch a space robot in the next few days to the other side of the moon. This is the first of three technically challenging missions.
China has narrowed the technology gap with the US and Russia by making significant advancements in the lunar exploration field since the inaugural Chang'e mission, which was named after the legendary Chinese moon goddess.
For the very first time in over forty years, China successfully returned samples from the near side of the moon to Earth in 2020, demonstrating that it could land an unmanned spacecraft on Earth from the surface of the moon safely.
China is scheduled to launch Chang'e-6 this week using the 2020 mission's backup spacecraft in order to gather rocks and soil from the lunar surface that is always facing away from the Earth.
Chang'e-6 has no direct sight with Earth, so throughout its 53-day mission, which includes an unprecedented ascent from the "hidden" side of the moon on its way home, it must depend on a recently launched relay satellite circling the moon.
In 2026 and 2028, when China begins to search for water at the south pole and construct an outpost alongside Russia, the same relay satellite will be supporting the unmanned Chang'e-7 and 8 missions. By the year 2030, China plans to send astronauts to Mars.
Bill Nelson, NASA's administrator, has expressed concern about Beijing's polar intentions and has warned repeatedly that China will appropriate any water supplies for itself. Beijing asserts that it is still dedicated to working with all countries to create a "shared" future.
China will transport payloads from Pakistan, France, Italy, and Sweden on Chang'e-6, and payloads from Thailand, Russia, and Switzerland on Chang'e-7.
US law has prohibited NASA from engaging in any direct or indirect cooperation with China.
The United States will send its first astronauts to the moon in 2026 when they land close to the south pole under the independent NASA-led Artemis program.
Aiming for the south pole
The goal of Chang'e 6 is to touch down on the northeast edge of the enormous South Pole-Aitkin Basin, which is the solar system's oldest impact crater known to people.
In February, IM-1, a collaborative venture between the private company Intuitive Machines and NASA, made the southernmost touchdown ever.
The spacecraft swayed significantly to one side amid a number of mechanical issues after landing at Malapert A, a spot near the south pole, which was thought to be rather flat, showing the high-risk feature of the landings on the moon.
Long-term research bases might be supported by polar ice without the need for costly resources to be carried from Earth. The 2008 launch of Chandrayaan-1 satellite by India verified that ice exists within polar craters.
The sample return of Chang'e-6 may also provide more insight into the early development of the moon as well as the inner solar system.
The far side of the moon has more craters that aren't covered with old lava flows due to the absence of volcanic activity, which preserves components from early formation of moon.
Thus far, all of the lunar samples collected by the US, the former USSR, and China came from the near side of the moon, where volcanism has historically been much more active.
Chang'e-6, if can land successfully, will use a drill and a motorized scoop to gather roughly 2 kilograms ( about 4.4 pounds) of samples, which could be a milestone event.