The Chang’e-6 return capsule delivered lunar samples to Earth on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, it was delivered to Beijing to the headquarters of the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST). There, the capsule was ceremoniously removed and handed over for sample sorting and storage until Chinese scientists can apply for samples to study. Foreign scientists will have to wait another couple of years.
Image source: CAST
The first ever delivery of rock samples from the far side of the Moon to Earth was a historic event not only for China, but also for all of Earth’s space exploration. This is a very difficult mission in the absence of direct communication with the descent module. The relay previously launched into lunar orbit for this purpose partly saved the situation, but not completely. To be sure of the precise and safe actions of the automatic landing station and its robotic arm on the surface of the Moon, Chinese researchers accurately reproduced elements of the lunar landscape at the landing site around a copy of the module on Earth. This allowed them to check the command package for the lunar module before sending it.
The surface of the Moon has different geology and even landscapes on the visible and far sides of the satellite. Perhaps now, thanks to the soil samples obtained from the far side, scientists will be able to unravel its geological secrets. The first work on studying the soil will probably appear only next year. Sorting and cataloging approximately 2 kg of samples may take up to six months, after which a competition for applications, distribution and study of the materials will take place. Foreign scientists will also be able to obtain samples of lunar soil from the far side, but applications from them will not be accepted until at least two years after applications from researchers from China are processed.