Chinese scientists will soon start analysing soil samples brought back from a largely unexplored area of the Moon.
A capsule from the Chang’e-6 mission brought back 1.935kg of soil from the far side of the lunar surface on Tuesday, making China the first country to achieve such a feat.
The samples from the South Pole-Aitken Basin region are being stored at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where researchers will try to unlock some of the secrets of lunar history and the solar system.
“The first lunar far-side sample of mankind has unique scientific significance,” the China National Space Administration said in a statement on Friday.
“It will further enhance mankind's understanding of the evolution of the Moon, accelerate mankind's peaceful exploration and utilisation of lunar resources and is an important asset for all mankind.”
Significance of the far side
The far side of the Moon is perpetually hidden from Earth due to tidal locking.
It has a different landscape than the side that faces Earth, with a thicker crust, fewer maria – the dark plains seen on the near side – and a more rugged terrain.
The variation in terrain suggests it has experienced different and possibly more ancient geological processes than the near side, offering clues about the Moon's past.
Previous missions, including by Nasa and the former Soviet Union, have focused mostly on the near side.
China’s Chang’e-4 mission landed on the far side in 2018 but it was not part of a return-sample mission.
The soil samples returned by the Chang’e-6 mission are particularly valuable because they come from an area that has remained largely unexplored and undisturbed, offering pristine material for analysis.
Potential discoveries from the soil samples
The South Pole-Aitken Basin region holds the potential to reveal critical information about the Moon's composition, geological history and even broader cosmic events.
The findings can also help space agencies in setting up human bases on the Moon, as they look to tap into the resources found on the lunar surface.
The samples can give insights into the composition of the lunar crust on the far side, including unique minerals and chemical elements that differ from those found on the near side.
This can help scientists build a more comprehensive picture of the Moon's formation and the geological processes that have shaped its surface over billions of years.
They can also potentially unlock secrets on the history of lunar volcanism if there is evidence of volcanic rocks or ancient volcanic activity within the samples.
The findings would help them learn more on the Moon's thermal evolution and explain the differences in volcanic activity between the near and far sides.
Another exciting possibility is the discovery of water within the soil samples.
Although the Moon was long thought to be dry, recent missions have detected traces of water on its surface.
Finding water in the far-side samples could impact future lunar exploration and help in setting up human bases on the Moon.
It could also reveal where water comes from and how it is spread throughout the inner solar system.
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