China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe has successfully lifted off from the far side of the moon, embarking on its journey back to Earth with a precious cargo of lunar samples.
This historic achievement brings China one step closer to becoming the first nation to retrieve samples from the enigmatic far side of the moon.
At 7:38 am local time (2338 GMT) on Tuesday, the Chang'e-6 probe bid farewell to the lunar surface after completing its sample collection mission from June 2-3. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed that the probe "withstood the test of high temperature on the far side of the moon", a testament to its resilience in the harsh lunar environment.
Unlike its predecessor, Chang'e-5, which collected samples from the near side of the moon, Chang'e-6 faced the additional challenge of operating without direct communication with ground stations on Earth.
To overcome this obstacle, the probe relied on the relay satellite Queqiao-2, launched in April, to facilitate communications.
Equipped with a drill and robotic arm, Chang'e-6 meticulously dug up soil samples from the lunar surface and subsurface. In a symbolic gesture, the probe unfurled China's national flag on the far side of the moon for the first time after acquiring the samples, as reported by Beijing Daily.
Currently in lunar orbit, Chang'e-6 will rendezvous with another spacecraft before transferring the precious samples to a return module. This module will then embark on its journey back to Earth, with a scheduled landing in China's Inner Mongolia region around June 25.
The return of these lunar samples is eagerly anticipated by scientists worldwide, who hope the soil collected by Chang'e-6 can shed light on the origins of our solar system.
The far side of the moon, permanently facing away from Earth, remains largely unexplored, and these samples could provide invaluable insights into its geological composition and evolution.
