China's Chang'e-6 Completes Rendezvous and Docking in Lunar Orbit

TapTechNews June 6 news, according to the National Space Administration, at 2:48 PM on June 6, the Chang'e-6 Ascender successfully completed the rendezvous and docking with the orbiter and the return capsule assembly in the lunar orbit, and safely transferred the lunar sample container to the return capsule at 3:24 PM. This is the second time that China's spacecraft has achieved lunar orbit rendezvous and docking after Chang'e-5.

The official Weibo of the Chang'e-6 Lunar Probe also released the message: Finished the work and got off work! The local products you want have been sent, destination: Earth, please pay attention to the logistics information.

Since the Chang'e-6 Ascender took off from the far side of the moon and entered the circumlunar flight orbit on the morning of June 4, it has successively carried out 4 orbital adjustments. When the Ascender was about 50 kilometers (about 31 miles) in front of and about 10 kilometers (about 6.2 miles) above the orbiter and the return capsule assembly, the orbiter and the return capsule assembly gradually approached the Ascender through short-range autonomous control and completed the orbital rendezvous. The 3 sets of K-shaped grippers configured on the orbiter were aligned with the 3 connecting rods on the Ascender's connection surface, and the two vehicles were tightly connected by tightening the grippers to accurately complete the rendezvous and docking. Thereafter, the container carrying the precious lunar far side samples was safely transferred from the Ascender to the return capsule.

Subsequently, the Chang'e-6 orbiter and the return capsule assembly will be separated from the Ascender and enter the circumlunar waiting stage, preparing to selectively implement the control of the lunar-earth transfer orbit. After experiencing key steps such as the lunar-earth transfer and the separation of the orbiter and the return capsule, as planned, the return capsule will land with the lunar samples at the Aerospace Landing Site in Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia.

TapTechNews will follow up with subsequent news.