China's space program will next week launch mission that aims to land on the Moon, take samples, and bring them back to Earth.

The Chang'e-6 probe and the Long March-5 Yao-8 rocket that will carry it into space were moved to a launchpad at the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Saturday. China's National Space Agency [1]named "early May" as the likely launch window – other [2]reports name May 3 as the expected launch date.

Whenever it flies, Chang'e-6 will make its way to a region on the far side of the Moon near the south pole – a region felt to offer clues about the satellite's evolution.

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The mission is complex, as it comprises an orbiter, lander, ascender, and re-entry module. But China's done this before – Chang'e-6 was built as the backup to Chang'e-5, and the latter mission [4]ended in triumph .

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The lander is equipped with a drill and a scoop. Mission plans call for those tools to acquire around two kilograms of Moon stuff, which will be loaded into the ascender. That craft will connect with the re-entry model to bring bits of Luna to Terra.

The mission is scheduled for 53 days from go to woah – 30 days longer than Chang'e-5’s sortie – and will require retrograde orbits of the Moon.

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According to the South China Morning Post, China is also considering a Mars sample return mission. The Alibaba-owned Post last week [11]reported that Wu Weiren, chief designer of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, told a conference that it plans to launch a craft called Tianwen-3 in 2030.

The mission plan calls for twin launches: one to carry a lander and ascent vehicle, and the other to haul an orbiter and return vehicle to Mars.

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The most efficient round trips to Mars require over 500 days travel time, so even if China manages to launch Tianwen-3 in 2030 it would be several years before it returns with any red rocks.

But even a 2033 return would spank NASA, which – due to tech and funding woes – is [13]struggling to design a sample return mission that would return to Earth by 2040.

If China is first to bring back a chunk of Mars, the moniker "red planet" could take on a new meaning. ®

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[1] https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/n6758823/n6758838/c10517920/content.html

[2] https://www.space.com/china-preparing-launch-change-6-moon-sample-return-mission

[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZjDBRhNmhsjJFw53lGl12AAAABc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0

[4] https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/17/change5_china_moon_samples/

[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZjDBRhNmhsjJFw53lGl12AAAABc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0

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[7] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/15/sloshing_fuel_made_chinese_change5/

[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/09/solar_eclipse_internet_traffic_impact/

[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/04/nasa_lunar_rover/

[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/25/slim_another_lunar_night/

[11] https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3260416/china-aims-beat-us-race-mars-samples-2030-goal-space-official

[12] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZjDBRhNmhsjJFw53lGl12AAAABc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0

[13] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/16/nasa_msr_mission_update/

[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/