Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 6 landed on the far side of the Moon

(Patria) - The Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) reported that this morning the Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 6 successfully landed on the far side of the Moon, where it is expected to collect samples and return them to Earth later.

The Chinese spacecraft will collect rocks and other samples in the vast crater known as the South Pole-Aitken basin, the official Chinese agency Xinhua reported this morning.

The spacecraft was launched on May 3 and its goal is to collect rock and regolith samples from that part of the Moon, for the first time in history.

There could be samples of some of the oldest rocks from the Moon from the vast crater on its South Pole.

The mission is the sixth in the Chang'e program for lunar exploration, named after the Chinese moon goddess. It is the second mission to return samples after the Chang'e 5 mission, which also collected samples from the near side of the Moon in 2020.

After launching from the Wenchang center, the Chang'e 6 spacecraft orbited the Moon waiting to land. Then, the probe that will descend separated from the orbiting part to land on the side of the Moon permanently facing away from Earth.

The operation was supported by the Queqiao-2 satellite, the Chinese space agency reported.

In the current mission, the lander will use a robotic arm to drill and collect up to two kilograms of material from the surface and subsurface of the Moon, which will be returned in a capsule currently orbiting the Moon. The sample container is expected to return to Earth in China's deserts around June 25.

Missions to the far side of the Moon are more difficult because that part does not face Earth and a relay satellite is needed to maintain communications.

Chinese state media described the successful lunar landing as a "historic moment".

The lander is expected to spend up to three days collecting surface material in an operation that CNSA stated will involve many engineering innovations, high risks, and great difficulties.

The lunar program is part of the growing rivalry between the US and other countries, including Japan and India, in space exploration. China has established its own space station in orbit and regularly sends crews there.

China plans to send a human to the Moon before 2030, which would make it the second country to do so after the US. America also plans to send astronauts to the Moon again for the first time in more than 50 years, although earlier this year, the US space agency NASA postponed that date to 2026.