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The basalt rocks brought back from the lunar far side for the first time by the Chang’e-6 (嫦娥六号) probe in 2024 appear to trace back to a previously uncharacterised source region. As China’s Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP, 探月工程) announced on 11 August 2025, the material originates from a so-called ultra-reduced lunar mantle — a region inside the Moon where the oxygen fugacity is extremely low.
The findings significantly broaden the existing understanding of the Moon’s geological structure. Lunar samples returned earlier — such as those from the Apollo missions or China’s Chang’e-5 mission from the near side — had already indicated reducing conditions in the lunar mantle. However, the far-side basalt now analysed suggests an even more extreme reducing environment than previously documented, according to CLEP.
The lunar far side differs markedly from the near side in geological terms. Chang’e-6’s successful collection of samples from the South Pole–Aitken Basin is widely regarded as a scientific milestone. The newly published geochemical data provide, per CLEP, fresh insights into how the Moon differentiated in its early history and what range of conditions may exist within the lunar mantle.
The full scientific evaluation of the Chang’e-6 samples is still in its early stages, with research teams around the world working on portions of the returned material. The results are also expected to inform the planning of future lunar missions — including the upcoming Chang’e-7 and Chang’e-8 — which are set to further investigate the Moon’s geological diversity.