NASA hasn’t landed on the Moon in many years—China simply despatched its third in six years

Enlarge / A Lengthy March 5 rocket carrying the Chang’e-6 lunar probe blasts off from the Wenchang Area Launch Heart on Might 3, 2024 in Wenchang, China. (credit score: Li Zhenzhou/VCG through Getty Pictures)

China goes again to the Moon for extra samples.

On Friday the nation launched its largest rocket, the Lengthy March 5, carrying an orbiter, lander, ascent automobile, and a return spacecraft. The mixed mass of the Chang’e-6 spacecraft is about eight metric tons, and it’ll try and return rocks and soil from the far aspect of the Moon—one thing scientists have by no means been capable of research earlier than in-depth.

The mission’s objective is to result in 2 kg (4.Four kilos) of rocks again to Earth a little bit greater than a month from now.