China spacecraft Chang'e-6 first to collect samples from far side of the moon - BBC News

Summary

中国は月の裏側からの岩石と土壌のサンプルを収集し、地球への帰還を開始しました。火山性の地形と異なるサンプルが期待されており、中国は月探査において前代未聞の業績を達成しました。月裏側からの宇宙船離陸は通信が困難なため、中国は事前に通信中継を行う衛星を打ち上げ、成功裏に任務を遂行しました。サンプルは約3週間後に内モンゴルの着陸予定地に到着する予定です。

Takeaways

• 🌕 中国的月球探测器成功从月球背面起飞，开始返回地球的旅程。
• 🚀 嫦娥6号模块在月球南北极附近的火山盆地着陆，并采集了岩石和土壤样本。
• 🔍 这些样本预计与月球正面的岩石形态大不相同。
• 📡 中国国家航天局称此次任务为月球探测中的前所未有的壮举。
• 📅 探测器预计将在大约3周后返回内蒙古的着陆点。
• 🏁 中国在月球背面使用机械臂收集样本，并在月球背面留下了代表中国的符号。
• 📡 由于月球背面与地球没有直接视线，中国发射了一颗中继卫星来传递信息。
• 🧪 嫦娥6号探测器在过去两天内收集了珍贵的岩石和土壤样本。
• 🧊 科学家对这些样本非常感兴趣，因为月球背面的岩石可能含有冰的痕迹。
• 🏰 科学家希望有一天能在月球上建立空间站，并有可能维持生命。
• 🎖️ 中国认为在这种月球探测方面已经走在了前面。

Q & A

中国探月探测器「嫦娥6号」はどのような任務を遂行しましたか？

「嫦娥6号」は月に着陸し、火山岩と土壤のサンプルを採取しました。これは月に向かっての旅の始まりであり、約3週間後に内モンゴルの着陸地点に戻される予定です。

「嫦娥6号」が採取したサンプルはどのような特徴を持っていますか？

「嫦娥6号」が採取したサンプルは、月に向かっての側の岩石と比べて非常に異なると予想されており、氷の痕跡が含まれている可能性があります。

月に向かっての側と月に向かっていない側の地形にはどのような違いがありますか？

月に向かっていない側は地形が非常に異なるとされており、火山岩の湖のような地形はほとんど見られないとされています。一方、火山岩は月に向かっての側に多く見られます。

中国が月に向かっての側からの採取を成功させた背景には何がありますか？

中国は月に向かっての側からの採取は非常に困難であるため、通信のための中継衛星を打ち上げ、地上から直接通信できない問題を解決しました。

「嫦娥6号」が月に向かっての側に着陸した場所はどこですか？

「嫦娥6号」は月に向かっての側の南極近くの火山岩盆地に着陸しました。

月に向かっての側の岩石が含むと思われる氷の痕跡はなぜ重要ですか？

氷の痕跡は月での未来の探査や人類の居住を可能にする水の源を意味するため、科学者たちにとって非常に興味深いです。

「嫦娥6号」が採取したサンプルはどのように処理される予定ですか？

サンプルは非常に慎重に取り扱われ、月からの帰還後、内モンゴルに安全に着陸し、その後はサンプルが詳しく分析される予定です。

中国の宇宙計画はどのように進んでおり、どのような成果を上げていますか？

中国の宇宙計画は約10年間非常に成功を収めており、月に向かっての探査、火星探査、宇宙ステーションの建設など多くの成果を上げています。

「嫦娥6号」の任務は国際協力の範疇でどのように評価されていますか？

「嫦娥6号」の任務は国際協力の良い例であり、香港やアメリカなど世界中の科学者がサンプルを研究する予定です。

「嫦娥6号」が採取したサンプルはどのように科学者に与える影響があると予想されますか？

「嫦娥6号」が採取したサンプルは、月に向かっての側と月に向かっていない側の月の地質学を理解する上で非常に貴重な情報を提供すると考えられています。

Outlines

00:00

🌕 中国の月探査ミッション「嫦娥6号」の成功

中国の月探査ミッション「嫦娥6号」は、月の遠側から地球への帰還を開始しました。このミッションでは、火山区に近い月の南極近くに着陸し、岩石と土壌のサンプルを採取しました。これらのサンプルは、月の近側の岩層と大きく異なると予想されています。中国国家航空宇宙局は、このミッションを月探査における前代未聞の業績と呼んでいます。帰還は約3週間後に内蒙古の着陸予定地に行われます。中国メディアは、月面に「中国」の象徴を作り出し、中国の旗も掲げたと報道しています。科学者たちは、遠側の岩石が水の痕跡を含んでいるかもしれないと興味を持ち、将来的には月上に宇宙ステーションを建設し、持続可能な生命を支えるかもしれないと期待しています。

05:01

🛰️ 中国の月探査の進歩と科学者への影響

中国の月探査は約10年間で非常に成功を収めており、多くの重要な成果を上げています。「嫦娥」シリーズの月ミッションは全て成功しており、火星探査も行われ、宇宙ステーションも建設されています。さらに、ハブLETElescopeと同様の2メートルクラスの光学望遠鏡も建設予定です。今回の「嫦娥6号」のミッションは、特に興味深く、月面からのサンプルを持ち帰ることに成功しました。遠側のサンプルは近側とは異なる地形と地質構造を持っており、火山活動はほとんど見られません。特に南極地域では、氷とヘリウムなどの貴重な資源が存在する可能性があり、将来の月探査や居住に役立つとされています。全世界の科学者たちは、これらのサンプルが無事に持ち帰られることを願っており、これらを研究することで多くの科学的な発見が期待されています。

Keywords

💡月の裏側

月の裏側は地球から直接見ることができないため、探査が非常に難しい場所です。中国のルナ探査機がこの領域からサンプルを持ち帰ることは、技術的に大きな挑戦であり、今回のミッションの核心となっています。

💡嫦娥6号

嫦娥6号は中国の月探査ミッションで、月の裏側から岩石と土壌のサンプルを採取し地球に持ち帰ることを目的としています。このミッションは中国の宇宙探査技術の先進性を示しています。

💡サンプルリターンミッション

サンプルリターンミッションは、月面や他の天体から採取した物質を地球に持ち帰る探査計画です。嫦娥6号の成功は、月の裏側からの初のサンプルリターンミッションとなります。

💡通信衛星

月の裏側からのデータ通信を確保するために、中国は特別な通信衛星を使用しています。これにより、探査機と地球との間の通信が維持され、ミッションの成功に貢献しました。

💡月面着陸

月面着陸は探査機が月の表面に安全に着地することを指します。嫦娥6号の着陸地点は、月の南極に近い火山性の盆地で、ここでサンプルを採取しました。

💡月の南極

月の南極は、永続的に日光が当たらないクレーターが存在するため、水の氷が存在する可能性が高い地域です。嫦娥6号のミッションはこの地域の探索も含まれています。

💡氷の痕跡

月の裏側で見つかる可能性がある氷の痕跡は、水資源の存在を示し、将来的な月面基地の建設に重要な意味を持ちます。嫦娥6号はこの氷の存在を確認するためのデータを収集しています。

💡宇宙探査

宇宙探査は、宇宙空間や天体の科学的研究を目的とした活動です。中国は月探査、火星探査、宇宙ステーション建設など、さまざまな宇宙探査ミッションを成功させており、嫦娥6号もその一環です。

💡国際協力

嫦娥6号のミッションは、中国だけでなく、国際的な科学コミュニティとも連携して行われています。採取されたサンプルは世界中の研究者と共有され、共同研究が進められます。

💡科学的発見

嫦娥6号が持ち帰る月の裏側のサンプルは、地質学や天文学における新たな科学的発見をもたらす可能性があります。これらのサンプルは月の形成や進化についての理解を深める貴重な資料となります。

Highlights

Chinese Luna probe successfully took off from the Far Side of the Moon.

Chang'e 6 module landed in a volcanic basin close to the moon's South Pole.

Collected samples of rock and soil expected to be different from the near side of the Moon.

Chinese National Space Administration called the mission an unprecedented feat in lunar exploration.

The probe is due to return in about 3 weeks to a landing site in Inner Mongolia.

Mechanical arm used to collect samples placed the symbol for Tonga, which is China, on the far side of the Moon.

Chinese flag planted on the far side of the moon.

Difficulty in controlling and landing on the Far Side of the Moon due to no line of sight from Earth.

A satellite was launched in April to relay messages for the mission.

Chang'e 6 space probe collected rock and soil samples for two days.

Previous samples from the near side of the Moon are volcanic, unlike the Far Side.

Rocks on the Far Side of the Moon could contain traces of ice, indicating a water source.

Scientists are excited about the potential to build a space station on the Moon.

China believes it is ahead in lunar exploration.

Astrophysicist Professor Quentin Parker discusses the challenge and significance of the mission.

Chang'e 6 mission is similar to Chang'e 5 in terms of lunar sample return from the far side.

About 2 kilograms of lunar rock and soil sample expected to be brought back.

The Far Side of the Moon has a different geology with craters that might contain water ice and helium.

China's space endeavors have been successful with missions to the Moon, Mars, and a space station.

The lunar samples are intended for international collaboration and scientific study.

Transcripts

next to China State media there says the

Chinese Luna probe has successfully

taken off from The Far Side of the Moon

to start its Journey back to Earth the

Chang 6 module landed on Saturday in a

volcanic Basin close to the moon's South

Pole and has collected samples of rock

and soil they're expected to be very

different from rock formations on the

near Side of the Moon the Chinese

National Space Administration called the

mission an unprecedented feat in Luna

exploration

the probe is due to return in about 3

weeks time to a landing site in inner

Mongolia let's hear now from our China

cross

Laura they're calling this remarkable

historic it's even trending on social

media here their Channel called wayo um

especially because the mechanical arm

that was used to collect those Rock and

soil samples has put the symbol for

Tonga which is China into the Earth on

the far Side of the Moon they've also

planted the Chinese flag on the far side

of the moon now the reason why

scientists are so excited by this is

because it's very very difficult to

control and even land and get an

aircraft to take off from The Far Side

of the Moon because there's no line of

sight from Earth so what China did was

they launched a satellite which was

there by April and ready for this

Mission and they've used that satellite

to relay messages so for the last two

days the chi six space probe has been

collecting these precious Rock and soil

samples now the other reason scientists

are very interested in this is because

the in previous samples that you can see

the bit of the Moon that you can see

they've collected the samples that look

very volcanic look very like you would

see in Iceland or Hawaii however it is

thought that the rocks on The Far Side

of the Moon could contain traces of ice

now that would mean there is some kind

of source of water on that part of the

Moon the reason scientists get excited

by that is they are hoping one day to

build some kind of space station up

there and it is hoped that perhaps it

could sustain life we're way off that

but right now China believes it's way

ahead when it comes to this kind of

lunar

exploration thanks to Laura for that

right we can speak now to astrophysicist

Professor Quentin Parker from the

University of Hong Kong thanks for

coming on the program

pleasure so what do you make first of

all of just the challenge that has been

successfully completed so far we'll get

on to the rocks in the ice in a moment

but just the logistics of doing what's

been done so far what do you make of it

well it's never been done before in

terms of a a Luna sample return Mission

From The Far Side now China has already

landed on the far side when it did that

uh with chanka 4 that was the first time

that's ever been done as well and now

it's the second time they've gone back

to the far side and this time they've

done it to bring back uh lunar Rock and

soil sample so that is very complicated

as was said by the previous speaker

there's no direct line of sight so you

have to have a relay satellite called uh

cha and that's basically means magpi

bridge and the Chinese love having these

interesting and lovely names for their

missions and that's kind of in a what's

called an L2 orbit around the Moon that

allows a direct line of sight from the

Lander to the satellite from the

satellite back to the Earth so you can

remain in in communication at all times

which is vital for a mission of this

type it's very complicated very

challenging technically they've done it

again and now just like the changer five

which is on the near side they're now

going to be bringing back we hope lunar

Rock from the from the far side rather

than the near side right let's get on to

this rock then how much of it have they

grabbed and what's going to happen to it

now um they probably grabbed about the

same amount as last time with changa 5

because the changa 5 Mission and changa

6 are basically the same in terms of the

intent to go to the moon and bring back

Sample about 2 kilg is what they expect

to bring back okay and what happens to

it now when it's back on

Earth well I mean assuming they can get

it back to Earth um first um there's

still a few Hairy Bits to go they you

know they've gone back from Luna uh from

the from the surface of the Moon in into

the spacecraft that land bring it back

to the Earth they're going to transfer

the sample into the the module that

re-entry vehicle that actually mustn't

burn up in the atmosphere and come back

safely to to land in in Mongolia and

once all of that happens if it all does

happen because there's pretty scary

parts there uh then they'll just uh very

carefully like the Americans did with

the um asteroidal material that they

recovered carefully unpack and and

extract the material from within the

Lander and what will they be looking

for well as was said previously I mean

The Far Side of the Moon looks very very

different to the near side on the near

side of have all these Mar you know like

Sea of Tranquility which big lava feels

from volcanic activity that's pretty

much absent from The Far Side of the

Moon for reasons aren't completely

understood what you see on the far side

is a much you know very crated terrain

lots of bombardment happened like on the

near side but it hasn't been uh washed

over by volcanic Lakes like it has on

the near side and so we think that

geology is very different and down in

the South Pole there are craters there

which have high walls protected from

sunlight at all times and in those

craters we think there might be water

ice and helium and other precious

materials which will be of great use to

to Future exploration of the Moon and

even to habitation interesting and what

does all this as you you've you've

highlighted again the caveats not over

yet not safely backed yet we appreciate

those caveats but but if we presume that

that does all go swimmingly what does

this do uh do you think for the

country's space

Endeavors um well China

uh Moon space fairing events have been

going gang busters I would say for about

10 years you know they've had a very

successful changa series of Luna

missions they've also gone to Mars

they've also built a space station and

about to put up a 2 meter class optical

telescope like the Hub but with a field

of view 350 times larger so there's lots

of things happening in the Chinese space

program this is just one of the most

exciting so the the Luna missions have

uh haven't failed they've all been

successful so far and every body all any

lunar scientist any geologist worth his

salt or her salt will be praying that

this sample comes back in a pristine

condition so it can be studied and so

you know it's going to be a veritable

Cornucopia of scientific Delights I

think that's going to come out from the

geology of these different samples from

the far side and the near side and these

samples are being shared I mean we got a

sample of Hong Kong you you know and my

deputy director Jo machowski who's

American worked a lot with NASA he's

going to be he's working with that near

side sample right now and we hope to get

a Far Side sample too and around the

world I think Manchester University's

got access to the changer 5 near side

Moon Rock so you know it's not just

China here I mean it's International

collaboration which is great to

absolutely fascinating Professor queny

Parker thank you very much for

explaining so clearly thank you it's a

pleasure thank you very much