China opens Chang'e 6 capsule containing samples from moon's far side

China's Chang'e 6 mission has achieved a major milestone as the return capsule containing unique samples from the moon's far side arrived in Beijing and was successfully opened. The capsule made a spectacular descent through the Earth's atmosphere on June 25th, before landing in Inner Mongolia's grasslands, marking the conclusion of the 53-day-long mission. This is prepared by SSP.

The return capsule was promptly transported to the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) in Beijing, where an official ceremony took place. During the event, researchers carefully accessed the capsule, examining critical technical indicators. Inside, they discovered a valuable sample container carrying approximately 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of lunar material from the far side.

Following this significant development, the next phase of the mission will involve transferring the precious samples to specialized facilities. These facilities have been specifically designed for the storage, analysis, and distribution of the samples to aid future research endeavors.

Similar to the methodology followed with the samples collected by Chang'e 5 from the moon's near side last year, the moon materials from Chang'e 6 will be meticulously sorted and made accessible to scientists and research institutions across China. After an allocated two-year period, international groups and researchers will also have the opportunity to apply for access to these unique lunar samples. Notably, NASA-funded researchers were granted special clearance last year to submit their applications.