Surprise meteorite debris uncovered on Moon’s far side

Chinese researchers have discovered fragments of a rare type of meteorite in rock samples collected from the far side of the Moon by China’s Chang’e-6 mission and returned to Earth in June 2022. The debris, found unexpectedly during analysis, resembles material from asteroids that carry pre-Solar System dust. This discovery could help trace how asteroids may have seeded planetary bodies with volatile compounds like water. The Chang’e-6 mission primarily aimed to understand the differences between the Moon’s near and far sides and explore the South Pole–Aitken Basin, thought to be formed by an asteroid impact about four billion years ago. Initial analysis of iron, manganese, and zinc levels in the debris revealed it was not from the Moon itself but from meteorites.

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