China Lands Chang'e-6 Spacecraft on Moon's Far Side
The Facts
The China National Space Administration has announced that the PRC's uncrewed Chang'e-6 spacecraft successfully landed in a large crater on the far side of the moon called the South Pole-Aitken Basin at 6:23 a.m. Beijing time Sunday.
The Chang'e-6, which launched May 3, will collect soil and rock samples from the moon's far side for the first time in history and return to Earth in about 53 days.
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
This successful landing shows the PRC's engineering prowess in space exploration. This mission — China's most complex robotic lunar endeavor to date — will provide an unprecedented comparison between the dark, unexplored region and the better-known near side and also be a key milestone in China's push to become a dominant space power.
Anti-China narrative
A surge in missions to the moon is unfolding worldwide — a dangerous trend driven by the intent to dominate and monopolize the moon's resources for commercial purposes. China's growing space power, in particular, is a matter of grave concern, as Beijing may claim territoriality and leverage it to further its regional and domestic political and military interests.
