According to media reports on Tuesday, a Chinese Chang’e-6 Lunar carrying samples from the far side of the Moon has successfully returned to Earth, concluding a technically complex 53-day mission hailed as a global milestone.
The Chang’e-6 probe, containing lunar soil and rocks, landed at its designated site on Tuesday afternoon, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
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In a significant discovery, Chinese researchers have identified natural few-layer graphene in the lunar soil samples retrieved during the Chang’e-5 mission, marking the first such finding. This breakthrough was detailed in a study published in the National Science Review, jointly conducted by teams from Jilin University, the Institute of Metal Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China’s deep space exploration laboratory, and the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration.
Graphene, which holds increasing importance across various scientific fields including planetary and space sciences, constitutes approximately 1.9 percent of total interstellar carbon. Characterizing the composition and structure of natural graphene can offer valuable insights into the geological evolution of celestial bodies.
The Chang’e-6 lunar probe was launched in early May, coordinated by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) using the Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket. The mission preparations took place at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan Province, southern China, according to CNSA statements.
