Daily Current Affairs : 8-May-2024

China’s Chang’e-6 undertaking is a groundbreaking space exploration effort aiming to acquire rocks from the Moon’s far aspect. Unlike preceding missions, Chang’e-6 focuses on a region of the Moon that has never been explored earlier than. This ambitious challenge requires careful planning and advanced generation to be triumphant.

About the Chang’e-6 Mission

The Chang’e-6 challenge is part of China’s lengthy-term lunar exploration program. Launched efficaciously, it goals to accumulate up to two kilograms of lunar soil and rock samples from the far aspect of the Moon. This is an awesome aim because no country has ever introduced back samples from this part of the Moon.

Chang’e-6 builds at the fulfillment of the previous Chang’e-5 assignment, which introduced back samples from the near facet of the Moon in 2020. One of the most interesting aspects of this mission is its target area: the South Pole-Aitken basin, the most important and oldest impact basin on the Moon. This region is of great interest to scientists due to the fact it is rich in geological records and may comprise clues about the Moon’s formation and the early solar machine.

Mission Components

To achieve its goals, the Chang’e-6 mission is predicated on several advanced technologies:

  • Queqiao-2 Communications Satellite: This satellite is crucial for relaying communications between the spacecraft and Earth. It is especially important because the far aspect of the Moon is always facing away from our planet, making direct communication difficult.
  • ICUBE-Q Orbiter: This small satellite, developed by Pakistan, is part of the mission’s scientific instruments. Known as a CubeSat, the ICUBE-Q orbiter is compact yet powerful. It will help collect data about the Moon’s surface and environment.

Important Points:

Chang’e-6 Mission Overview:

  • Aims to collect 2 kilograms of lunar soil and rock samples from the far side of the Moon.
  • It is the first mission to target the unexplored far side of the Moon.
  • Builds upon the success of Chang’e-5, which returned samples from the near side in 2020.

Target Area:

  • Focuses on the South Pole-Aitken basin, the largest and oldest impact basin on the Moon.
  • The basin is scientifically important due to its rich geological history, which may provide insights into the Moon’s formation and the early solar system.

Key Mission Components:

  • Queqiao-2 Communications Satellite:
    • Essential for relaying communications between the spacecraft and Earth due to the far side of the Moon being out of direct line of sight.
  • ICUBE-Q Orbiter:
    • A CubeSat developed by Pakistan.
    • Compact and powerful, it will gather data on the Moon’s surface and environment.

Significance of the Mission:

  • Expands China’s lunar exploration program.
  • Contributes to humanity’s understanding of the Moon’s history and its role in the solar system’s formation.

Why In News

China’s Chang’e-6 mission, launched successfully, aims to collect rocks from the Moon’s far side, a complex endeavour requiring precise planning. This mission represents a significant milestone in lunar exploration, as it targets a previously uncharted region of the Moon, offering valuable scientific insights into its geological history and the early solar system.

MCQs about China’s Chang’e-6 Mission

  1. What is the primary goal of China’s Chang’e-6 mission?
    A. To explore the Moon’s near side
    B. To collect rocks from the Moon’s far side
    C. To build a permanent lunar base
    D. To send astronauts to the Moon
    Correct Answer: B. To collect rocks from the Moon’s far side
    Explanation: The Chang’e-6 mission’s primary objective is to collect lunar soil and rock samples from the far side of the Moon, an area that has not been explored before.
  2. Which lunar region is the Chang’e-6 mission targeting for sample collection?
    A. The Moon’s North Pole
    B. The Sea of Tranquility
    C. The South Pole-Aitken basin
    D. The Ocean of Storms
    Correct Answer: C. The South Pole-Aitken basin
    Explanation: The Chang’e-6 mission targets the South Pole-Aitken basin, the largest and oldest impact basin on the Moon, a scientifically significant area due to its geological history.
  3. What is the role of the Queqiao-2 satellite in the Chang’e-6 mission?
    A. To gather surface data from the Moon
    B. To relay communications between the spacecraft and Earth
    C. To land the spacecraft on the Moon
    D. To collect soil samples from the Moon
    Correct Answer: B. To relay communications between the spacecraft and Earth
    Explanation: The Queqiao-2 communications satellite is essential for relaying communications between the spacecraft and Earth, especially because the far side of the Moon is out of direct line of sight from Earth.
  4. What is the ICUBE-Q orbiter, and which country developed it?
    A. A lunar rover developed by China
    B. A scientific instrument developed by the USA
    C. A CubeSat developed by Pakistan
    D. A communications satellite developed by Russia
    Correct Answer: C. A CubeSat developed by Pakistan
    Explanation: The ICUBE-Q orbiter is a CubeSat developed by Pakistan, and it will help collect data on the Moon’s surface and environment as part of the Chang’e-6 mission.

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