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The Chinese space probes of the Chang'e and Tianwen series have made a number of significant discoveries that significantly expand our knowledge of the closest space bodies to Earth. This was reported by the press service of the China National Space Administration, Northern Macedonia SciTechDaily.
A historic milestone was the Chang'e-4 mission, which for the first time in human history made a soft landing on the far side of the Moon. Research in the von Kármán crater has revealed significant deposits of olivine and pyroxene in the lunar regolith, minerals that probably originate from the deep layers of the Earth's satellite. Scientists also received important data on the influence of solar radiation on the surface of the Moon.
Also significant are the results of the Chang'e-5 mission, which successfully delivered to Earth lunar soil samples. Laboratory studies revealed a high content of iron and titanium in them, as well as traces of water formed as a result of the influence of the solar wind. The unique soil structures formed by micrometeorite impacts attracted the special attention of scientists.
The Tianwen-1 Mars mission made a breakthrough in the study of the Red Planet. In the area of Utopia Planitia, evidence of large-scale climatic changes that occurred after the end of the last ice age was found. The found water minerals support the theory of the presence of water on Mars in the past, and the study of wind activity helps to understand the formation of the modern Martian landscape.
The obtained results lay the foundation for future space expeditions and bring humanity closer to understanding the history of the formation of the Solar System. They are also of crucial importance for assessing the prospects of human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
