The Chang’e 6 mission had four main parts. These were the lunar lander, the return capsule, an orbiter and a small rocket that went with the lander. China launched this Moon mission on May 3, which reached the Moon’s orbit only after 5 days.
On June 1, the lander of the Chang’e 6 mission landed in the Apollo Crater of the Moon’s giant south pole – Aitken basin. According to Space.com, the lander collected about 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of samples using a scoop and drill. That material was put in a capsule that returned to Earth and with the help of a small rocket that went to the Moon, it reached the Moon’s orbit and then landed on Earth.
According to the American space agency NASA, the Chinese capsule started moving towards Earth around June 21. After reaching Earth safely, China’s Moon mission has been completed successfully.
Soviet Union and USA have also brought samples, then how is this different?
Chang’e 6 mission is not the first mission that has brought samples from the Moon to Earth. Soviet Union and USA have done this work before. Then how is China’s mission different? In fact, the part of the Moon from which America and the Soviet Union collected samples is always focused towards the Earth. For the first time, any country has collected samples from that part of the Moon, which is never visible from the Earth.