China’s upcoming lunar mission, Cheng E6, set to launch in the first half of 2024, will include a satellite from Pakistan among its payloads.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced on the social media platform Weibo that the Chang’e 6 mission is scheduled for a lunar journey in the first half of 2024. This mission will transport various payloads to the moon, originating from countries such as Pakistan, the European Space Agency (ESA), France, and Italy.
Chang’e 6 will be equipped with French instruments designed to test for radioactive gas, as well as the ESA’s Negative Ion Detector and Italy’s Valle Brett Radar System.
Additionally, Pakistan’s CubeSat satellite will be placed into lunar orbit as part of this mission. China is actively advancing the International Lunar Research Station project, anticipating further international collaborations.
The CNSA emphasized that the mission aims to bolster international cooperation by carrying payloads and satellites from four countries. Chang’e-6 will venture to the moon’s dark side, gather surface samples, and subsequently return them to Earth.
This mission represents a historic milestone as it will be the first time samples from the moon’s dark side are brought back to Earth.
