China cooperates with France to land its first object on the far side of the moon! There will be an important measuring instrument designed in Toulouse on the flight

GVTech News China cooperates with France to land its first object on the far side of the moon! There will be an important measuring instrument designed in Toulouse on the flight

A French-Chinese scientific achievement

May 3 is a historic date for a big event: China will launch its Chang’e 6 mission, its most ambitious yet, which aims to land on the far side of the moon. This mission, which culminated in several years of research and
Cooperation between China and France

will make possible a world-first achievement: analyzing radon emissions and the extremely thin lunar atmosphere using a revolutionary instrument designed in Toulouse.

Chang’e 6 will not only land on an area that has never been explored by humans. Its main goal is to take samples of lunar soil and rocks, which will then be returned to Earth for analysis. These samples, which have invaluable scientific value, will provide a better understanding of the formation and history of the Moon, as well as the geological processes that occur there.

Dorne: French tool for a Chinese task

At the heart of this historic mission lies Dorne,
A compact measuring instrument developed by the Research Institute of Astrophysics and Planetology

(IRAP) in Toulouse. DORN, meaning “Moon Radon Detector,” will be installed on the side of the Chang’e 6 lander and will be activated about ten hours before landing. For 48 hours, it will analyze lunar emissions of radon, a radioactive element found in deep layers of soil.

Radon is key to understanding the lunar exosphere, the extremely thin atmosphere that envelops the Moon. By measuring the amounts of radon leaching from lunar soil, DORN will make it possible to determine whether this exosphere comes from the Moon itself or from other sources, such as solar wind or meteorite impacts.

The Chang’e 6 mission is a powerful symbol of scientific cooperation between France and China. Since 2019, the two countries have worked closely together on China’s lunar programme. This cooperation allows the possibility of pooling the experiences and knowledge of the two countries and achieving significant scientific progress.

The success of the Chang’e 6 mission could pave the way for new, more ambitious missions. China is already considering sending the Chang’e 7 and 8 missions, which could include building a permanent lunar base. These missions will help make the Moon a new starting point for space exploration, and pave the way for future missions to Mars and beyond.

France is once again at the forefront of space exploration

France’s participation in the Chang’e 6 mission is a new example of French know-how in the field of space exploration. Thanks to her technological skills and scientific expertiseFrance plays a leading role in international space research.

The Chang’e 6 mission represents a historic turning point in lunar exploration. Thanks to cooperation between France and China, and the use of revolutionary tools like DORN, we are on the cusp of unraveling the moon’s secrets and paving the way for new space adventures.

The Chang’e 6 mission is a scientific mission of great importance that will allow us to better understand the Moon and prepare for the next stages of space exploration. France’s participation in this mission is a source of pride and indicates French know-how in the field of space exploration. Therefore, it is both a scientific and political task.