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China launched on Tuesday a special exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing to celebrate 20 years of its lunar exploration program. The exhibition features lunar samples collected from both the near and far sides of the moon, marking a global first, something that could only be delivered now in this country.
The most impressive item on display was no doubt the simultaneous display of lunar samples collected by China's Chang'e-5 and Chang'e-6 missions, Wu Weiren, chief designer of the country's lunar exploration program, told the Global Times during an interview at the museum.
"This is the first time in human history that we have the opportunity to closely compare lunar samples from both the near and far sides of the moon," Wu emphasized. "It marks a key milestone in China's lunar exploration program and a historic leap in our capabilities - moving from catching up, to keeping pace and now, to leading the way."
According to Wu, the lunar soil collected by Chang'e-5 comes from the near side of the moon, specifically the "Ocean of Storms," where the rocks are approximately 2 billion years old, making it the youngest lunar sample ever collected. In contrast, the Chang'e-6 samples were gathered from the far side, specifically from the "South Pole-Aitken Basin-Apollo Impact Crater," the largest, deepest and oldest impact crater on the moon. This location provides crucial insights into the moon's 4.5 billion-year history and offers clues to the origins of life on Earth.
The 1,731 grams of lunar soil samples brought back by Chang'e-5 represent the first-ever samples from a young volcanic rock area on the moon. To date, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) has distributed scientific samples to over 100 research teams across the country, yielding numerous valuable research results, the CNSA told the Global Times in a statement.
For example, through the discovery of the moon's youngest basalt, scientists have learned that magma activities still occurred on the moon as recently as 2 billion years ago, extending the previously established timeframe for magma activities by about 800 million to 900 million years. The lunar soil from the Chang'e-5 landing site also exhibits typical weak weathering features of basalt, providing crucial evidence for understanding the characteristics and formation mechanisms of lunar soil. Additionally, the discovery of a new lunar mineral, Chang'eite, marked another significant achievement, read the CNSA statement.
The 1,953.3 grams of lunar soil samples returned by Chang'e-6 are the first-ever samples from the far side of the moon. Compared with the Chang'e-5 samples, the Chang'e-6 lunar soil is lighter in color, has a lower bulk density, and features more complex grain sources. The collection site, the South Pole-Aitken Basin, is currently the largest known impact crater in the solar system. It contains ancient lunar soil, and comparing it with younger lunar soil offers promising opportunities for studying the moon's evolution and other scientific questions, the space agency explained.
Also on display was China's first full-moon image map, created by Chinese scientists through the integration and processing of data collected by the Chang'e-1 spacecraft. Using the onboard CCD stereo camera and laser altimeter, the spacecraft captured both images of the lunar surface and elevation data related to the terrain. This map, with a resolution of 120 meters, represents the country's first complete lunar image of its kind.
The image is signed by the Chief Commander of the lunar orbiter mission Luan Enjie; Chief Designer, Sun Jiadong; Deputy Designers Chen Bingzhong, Jiang Jingshan and Long Lehao; and Chief Scientist for Lunar Applications Ouyang Ziyuan.
Museumgoers could also have close look at the return capsule and parachute of the Chang'e-6 at the exhibition.
Over 20 years of engineering practice, China has successfully completed the "orbit, land, return" three-step plan, achieving multiple "world firsts" and garnering global attention for its remarkable accomplishments, Wu told the Global Times.
China's lunar exploration program started later than others, but with a high starting point.
Chang'e-4 achieved the first soft landing on the far side of the moon by a human-made spacecraft, unveiling the mysteries of the moon's far side. Chang'e-5 successfully carried out the first extraterrestrial sample return mission for China, and it was also the first time the national flag was displayed on the lunar surface. Chang'e-6 marked the first human lunar sample return from the far side of the moon. The Queqiao-1 and Queqiao-2 relay satellites established the world's first lunar relay communication system, solving the global challenge of communication between the far side of the moon and Earth, he elaborated.
Wu stressed that these achievements not only filled the gaps in human lunar exploration but also transformed China's space program from a "follower" into a "peer" and even a "leader" in the field.
Tuesday marks the opening of the first stop of the China Lunar Exploration Program's 20th Anniversary Exhibition. This is a great start, and in the coming months, we will be holding exhibitions, lectures on the spirit of lunar exploration, and other related activities in cities such as Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Macau, he said.
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