#长文创作激励计划#
The content of this article is written with authoritative information combined with personal opinions, and the source of the literature and screenshots have been marked at the end of the article, please be aware.
Preface
Chang'e-6 returned safely, two kilograms of lunar soil samples were safe and sound, and the mainland's aerospace staff soon began to study the samples.
Two kilograms of lunar soil is enough to prove the mainland's strength in lunar exploration, but compared with the nearly 400 kilograms of lunar soil brought back by the United States 55 years ago, these two kilograms are really a little less.
So, compared to the Americans, are we bringing back a little less lunar soil?
Quality and quantity of lunar soil samples
The moon, the faithful companion of the earth, the "hometown" of 380,000 kilometers away, human beings have had a natural yearning for the moon since ancient times, and the lunar soil is the key to uncover the secrets of the moon.
By analyzing the composition, structure, and isotope ratio of lunar soil, we can get a glimpse of the formation history of the moon, and understand its age and evolution.
Just as archaeologists infer the rise and fall of ancient civilizations from a pottery shard or a piece of wreckage, lunar soil is a key piece of evidence for studying the early history of the moon and the solar system.
In addition to revealing the moon's past, lunar soil also carries the future of humanity. Can you imagine that in these tiny specks of dust lies the key to solving the energy crisis?
In the lunar soil, there is an element that is very rare on the earth - helium-3, unlike traditional nuclear materials, helium-3 is more secure, cleaner, and produces almost no radioactive waste, which is considered the best raw material for the development of nuclear power.
It is estimated that the reserves of helium-3 on the surface of the moon are as high as one million tons, and if it can be exploited, it will be enough to meet the energy needs of mankind for thousands of years!
Beijing Daily client: Chang'e moon back "digging treasure", how high is the gold content?
Beijing Daily client: Chang'e moon back "digging treasure", how high is the gold content?
Moreover, through the analysis of lunar soil, we can better understand the laws of solar activity and evaluate the impact of cosmic radiation on human space exploration.
It can be seen that the value of a lunar sample cannot be measured simply in kilograms, and its significance is difficult to buy. We should not be deceived by appearances, and we should look at the results of lunar exploration from the perspective of development. What matters is not how much lunar soil we bring back, but what kind of cognitive breakthroughs we can get from it.
"Chang'e" moon landing, a new exploration
Some people say that the United States landed on the moon back then, and we are still using unmanned detectors, is it lagging behind? Don't worry, let's first look at the similarities and differences between China and the United States in the field of space.
It is undeniable that the United States is currently the only country that has successfully achieved a manned landing on the moon.
In the Apollo program, a total of 12 astronauts landed on the moon, and they not only brought back a large number of lunar samples, but also wrote a strong mark on the history of human lunar exploration. This is a symbol of US space prowess and the pride of all mankind.
In contrast, China's path to a manned landing on the moon has chosen a different approach. Instead of rushing to repeat the glory of the United States, we are down-to-earth, one step at a time.
The lunar exploration project began in 2004, first circumnavigating the moon, then achieving a soft landing and roving exploration of the moon, and then returning samples from the far side of the moon.
Chang'e-4 made its first soft landing on the far side of the moon, Chang'e-5 returned lunar samples for the first time in 44 years, and Chang'e-6, which had just returned, set a new record for unmanned exploration.
Lunar orbit rendezvous and docking, high-thrust engine, high-precision landing and obstacle avoidance...... These key technologies are not only used for lunar exploration, but also profoundly change our daily lives.
Beidou navigation, high-resolution remote sensing, and new material applications, which one is not a gift of lunar exploration technology? China's lunar exploration is not only for the moon landing, but also for the benefit of the people.
Chang'e-6 has made remarkable technological innovations in lunar exploration
Back to the point, what is the difference between Chang'e-6 and the previous moon landing?
First of all, Chang'e-6 is an excellent "communications expert".
Because the rotation and revolution of the Moon are the same, it always faces the same Earth, and the back of the Moon always faces away from us, which makes it quite difficult to communicate with the back of the Moon on Earth.
But Chang'e-6 has cleverly solved this problem. It carries a right-hand man, the "Queqiao" relay satellite. The "Magpie Bridge" is like a space signal tower, erecting a "communication bridge" between the far side of the moon and the earth.
With it, the ground can call Chang'e-6 at any time, listen to it report safety, transmit instructions, and receive data. This is the first time that China's aerospace industry has realized moon-back relay communication, marking a new level of China's deep space communication capability.
Secondly, Chang'e-6 is a "landing master". On the far side of the moon, the terrain is complicated, full of potholes, and full of "traps", and the slightest carelessness can cause the probe to "overturn". But Chang'e-6 stood firmly on the back of the moon and completed a perfect landing.
Chang'e-6 carries an intelligent "insight" that can observe the lunar surface in real time and draw a three-dimensional topographic map.
With this "map", it can plan the route in advance, avoid the steep terrain, and choose the safest landing site independently, like an experienced pilot.
This technology not only ensures the safety of Chang'e-6, but also accumulates valuable experience for lunar rovers and astronauts to land on the moon in the future.
Chang'e-6 not only surveyed the geological landform of the back of the moon, but also carried out in-situ exploration of lunar soil composition and radiation dose, providing first-hand information for the future construction of a lunar scientific research station.
These data will help us better understand the Moon, select base sites, assess risks, and formulate countermeasures.
The biggest highlight of this mission is the implementation of sampling and return on the back of the moon, and a series of fine operations such as drilling, encapsulation, and transfer must be completed on the moon alone, and the sample cannot be contaminated, cannot react, and must be brought well, which requires a high technical level!
Communication, landing, detection, sampling, each task is a new challenge, and every breakthrough is a new chapter.
Chang'e-6 has opened up broad prospects for human exploration of the moon. Its success is not only to create a number of "firsts", but more importantly, the technology it has accumulated and the data it has obtained will become the "stepping stone" for China's and even the world's aerospace industry to move towards deep space.
Looking back on the extraordinary journey of Chang'e-6, we sincerely sigh: this is not only a mission, but also a leap; It is not only a lunar exploration, but also a dream building. China's aerospace industry is taking Chang'e-6 as a new starting point and moving towards a higher, farther and deeper universe.
Reference news "Foreign media: Chang'e-6 mission is an "outstanding technical achievement"" 2024-06-27
Reference news "Foreign media: Chang'e-6 mission is an "outstanding technical achievement"" 2024-06-27
Two kilograms of lunar soil has a deeper meaning
So, what is the difference between China and the United States on the road of lunar exploration? Does this mean that the mainland can only bring back two kilograms, and that there is still a gap between us and the United States in space technology?
To answer these questions, we need to look at the similarities and differences between the Chinese and US lunar exploration programs from multiple dimensions such as mission objectives, technical means, and development concepts.
First of all, we need to understand that the Apollo program and the Chang'e project have different historical backgrounds.
The United States proposed the moon landing more out of political and military considerations, in order to gain an advantage in the contest with the Soviet Union. For this reason, the US lunar landing program does not care about money at all, and has "burned" billions of dollars in the preliminary design preparation work alone.
Not only that, but the entire moon landing program of the United States is also quite crazy, fifty or sixty years ago it could have invested more than 20 billion, and if it is converted to today's purchasing power, this figure will increase to more than 1 trillion!
In contrast, the starting point of China's lunar exploration program is diametrically opposed to that of the United States, from Chang'e-1 to Chang'e-6, we have gone through three steps of "orbiting, landing, and returning", each step closely focusing on scientific goals, focusing on technological accumulation and innovative breakthroughs.
Taking Chang'e-6 as an example, its total mass is only 8.2 tons, but it has integrated a number of cutting-edge technologies and achieved many "firsts", which is not the same as the Apollo spacecraft, which often cost hundreds of tons.
Second, we must realize that half a century has passed, and the scientific and technological capabilities of mankind are no longer what they used to be. At that time, for the success of the program, the United States could only meet the requirements by increasing the size of the spacecraft and using rather anti-sky power.
However, this also comes with high costs and great risks. The accident of Apollo 13 fully exposed the disadvantages of this model.
Today, thanks to advances in microelectronics, materials, artificial intelligence and other fields, we can completely replace "big guys" with "great wisdom" and "brute force" with "ingenuity".
More importantly, we must realize that lunar exploration is not simply a "quarrying" operation, but its real significance lies in expanding the boundaries of human cognition and igniting the dream engine of a space power.
From this point of view, although the Apollo program brought back a large amount of lunar soil, it was more of a political statement than a scientific consideration. It is still unknown how much value these samples have for scientific research.
In contrast, the Chang'e Project, each mission revolves around a scientific goal and strives to maximize the value of the sample.
Chang'e-5 and Chang'e-6 chose to sample young and ancient regions of the moon in order to obtain a complete picture of lunar soil in different periods and stitch together the evolution of the moon.
Moreover, these precious samples are not the capital of "flexing muscles", but scientific resources shared by the whole people.
From ordinary students to cutting-edge research institutions, everyone can draw knowledge and inspiration from it, and they can ignite their enthusiasm for exploration. This popular science concept of "teaching them to fish" is the foundation of China's lunar exploration program.
It can be seen that on the track of lunar exploration, although we and the United States have taken different paths, we have achieved "the same return" at different levels.
Judging success or failure by "two kilograms" and "three hundred and eighty-two kilograms" is a kind of narrow-mindedness; The true measure of the significance of a space mission is to see how much innovation it has promoted, how much hope it has sowed, and how much national self-confidence it has gathered.
In these respects, Chang'e-6 is in no way inferior to Apollo, or even better.
Xi'an Net "Xi'an Net Commentary: Chang'e-6 "Returns with Soil", Highlighting Scientific and Technological Progress" 2024-06-27
Xi'an Net "Xi'an Net Commentary: Chang'e-6 "Returns with Soil", Highlighting Scientific and Technological Progress" 2024-06-27
summary
Through the microscopic perspective of Chang'e-6's two-kilogram lunar soil, we see the grand picture of China's lunar exploration program. This picture is not only the unremitting pursuit of science, but also the innovative practice of hard work, the pragmatic style of economic efficiency, and the feelings of family and country for the benefit of the people.
Compared with Apollo half a century ago, although there is still a gap in "quantity", the Chang'e project has been comprehensively surpassed in "quality". This quality not only refers to the purity of the lunar soil samples, but also refers to the self-confidence, calmness and responsibility on the way to explore the moon.
Primary sources
Beijing Daily client: Chang'e moon back "digging treasure", how high is the gold content?
Beijing Daily client: Chang'e moon back "digging treasure", how high is the gold content?
Reference news "Foreign media: Chang'e-6 mission is an "outstanding technical achievement"" 2024-06-27
Reference news "Foreign media: Chang'e-6 mission is an "outstanding technical achievement"" 2024-06-27
Xi'an Net "Xi'an Net Commentary: Chang'e-6 "Returns with Soil", Highlighting Scientific and Technological Progress" 2024-06-27
Xi'an Net "Xi'an Net Commentary: Chang'e-6 "Returns with Soil", Highlighting Scientific and Technological Progress" 2024-06-27