June 4, 2024

Carrying valuable rocks and dust collected from the far side of the moon, the ascender of China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe officially embarked on its journey back to Earth, moving toward the goal of returning precious rock and soil from this region to Earth for the first time in history. 

The Global Times learned from China National Space Agency (CNSA) on Tuesday that after being powered by the 3000-newton engine for approximately six minutes, the ascender of Chang'e-6 lifted off from the lunar surface and entered its preset lunar orbit with success at 7:38 am on Tuesday. 

The lunar probe, named after a moon goddess in Chinese mythology and the sixth in the decades-long space program, completed sample collecting mission in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon from Sunday to Monday, in an intelligent and rapid fashion, per the CNSA.

Read more:

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202406/1313576.shtml