China's Chang'e 6 lunar probe is carrying mysterious mini rover
What's the story
China's latest lunar mission, the Chang'e 6, is currently en route to the far side of the Moon with an unexpected passenger — a mini rover.
The China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) recently shared visuals revealing this intriguing detail.
The China National Space Administration has confirmed that the probe, which launched last week, has successfully entered lunar orbit, marking a significant milestone in its journey.
Rover speculations
Rover's potential capabilities spark curiosity
The images released by CAST have ignited interest in the mini rover, which appears too compact for an extended mission.
The Shanghai Institute of Ceramics has suggested on its website that the rover might be equipped with an infrared imaging spectrometer.
This device could potentially detect water in lunar soil and rocks, although China has not confirmed this speculation or disclosed specific goals for the Chang'e 6 mission.
Mission goals
Chang'e 6 mission aims to return with lunar samples
The Chang'e 6 probe is set to land on the far side of the Moon and aims to return with lunar samples.
This objective mirrors China's previous endeavor, the Chang'e 5 mission in 2020, which successfully collected samples from the moon's near side.
The Chang'e 6 is also carrying scientific equipment from France, Sweden, and Italy, along with a Pakistani CubeSat.
Space surprises
China's history of unexpected space gadgets
This isn't the first time China has surprised the world with unexpected space technology.
During their Tianwen-1 Mars mission in 2021, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) released a camera that captured a selfie of the Zhurong rover without any prior announcement.
This history of unanticipated gadgets adds another layer of intrigue to the current Chang'e 6 mission and its mysterious mini rover.