The Chinese newspaper “Global Times” reveals that Beijing has found the mineral “Changsit-(J)” on the moon, during the Chinese “Change-5” mission in 2020.
China has discovered a new mineral on the moon’s surface, which might be a source of energy in the coming years.
The mineral, called “Changsit-(Y)”, was discovered during China’s Chang’e-5 mission in 2020, and was described by the Chinese newspaper “Global Times” as “a phosphate mineral in columnar crystals” found in particles of lunar rocks.
The newspaper pointed out that the metal contains “helium-3”, which may constitute a source of energy in the future.
“Changsit-(y)” is the sixth new mineral discovered by mankind on the surface of the moon, and thus China has become the third country in the world following Russia and the United States to discover a new mineral on the lunar surface.
The discovery of this lunar mineral led to China’s desire to send 3 missions to the moon, according to a report from the agency.Bloomberg“American.
The agency added that the National Space Administration in Beijing had received the “green light” to launch three orbits to the moon within the next 10 years.
China has ramped up its ambitions in space in recent years, sending probes to the moon, building its own space station and setting its sights on Mars https://t.co/CwXw3d5HTQ
— Bloomberg (@business) September 10, 2022
And this discovery may lead to more pressure on the United States to intensify its efforts, following the postponement of its “Artemis 1” mission to the moon for the second time.
China has accelerated its efforts in space exploration recently by building a space station, launching a number of missions to collect samples from the moon, and placing a rover called “Zurong” on the surface of Mars earlier this year to compete with NASA.
The American “Apollo 11” mission was the first to bring samples from another planet to Earth, and that was in July 1969, with regarding 22 kilograms of material from the surface of the moon.