China's Chang'e 6 mission landed on the Moon's far side, within the Apollo basin of the South Pole-Aitken basin, on June 1, 2024. Imaged by NASA's LRO on June 7, the lander rests in a small crater on the basin rim, contrasting with the surrounding lunar terrain. The mission aims to investigate the unexplored region's geological composition and take samples.

The Apollo basin contains vast basaltic mare deposits, which marks evidence of volcanic activity billions of years ago. Chang'e 6 will collect and analyze samples to determine the timing and duration of these eruptions. Equipped with a suite of instruments, the lander will also study the lunar regolith's composition and structure, as well as local magnetic and gravitational fields.

Another key objective is to examine the interaction between the lunar surface and the space environment. By measuring solar wind particles, cosmic rays, and space weathering products, scientists aim to better understand the effects of space exposure on the Moon.

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), a NASA spacecraft launched in 2009, has been instrumental in mapping the Moon's surface and capturing high-resolution images. Equipped with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC), a system of three cameras, LRO can capture images with resolutions as high as 0.5 meters per pixel. The LROC system consists of two Narrow Angle Cameras (NACs) for high-resolution black and white images, and a Wide Angle Camera (WAC) for lower-resolution color and ultraviolet imaging. This combination allows LRO to provide detailed views of the lunar surface.

Images credit: NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University

Apollo Basin and Chang'e 6 landing site visualisation: iGadgetPro

Visuals and sound made by iGadgetPro

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Timecodes
0:00 - Intro
0:20 - LRO's High-Resolution Image of Chang'e 6 lander
0:59 - LRO's images before and after Chang'e 6 landing
1:14 - South Pole-Aitken Basin and Chang'e 6 landing site
1:51 - Close-up view to Chang'e 6's lunar landing site
2:28 - Visualisation of the location of Chang'e 6's site

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