China’s Spacecraft Roundtrip to the Moon!
Beijing, May 8 (EFE).-
China’s Chang’e-6 spacecraft entered lunar orbit on Wednesday, completing yet another step in its mission to collect samples from the far side of the Moon for the first time ever.
The spacecraft, which lifted off on May 3, successfully performing the near-moon braking procedure, allowing it to be captured by the Moon’s gravity, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced.
Once in orbit, the Chang’e-6 spacecraft will adjust its altitude and the angle of the orbit in preparation for the next steps of its mission, which include a soft landing in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, where it is expected to collect about two kilograms (4.4 pounds) of samples.
The spacecraft, which is on a 53-day mission, is composed of four components: an orbiter, a lander, an ascender and a re-entry module.
The Chang’e program, named after a Chinese goddess believed to live on the Moon, began with the launch of an initial probe in 2007.
Beijing has heavily invested in its space program in recent years and has achieved many milestones, including the successful landing of Chang’e-4 on the far side of the Moon in January 2019 – the first spacecraft to do so -, as well as the construction of its own space station. EFE. aa/pd
