Carrying lunar rocks, Chinese probe lifts off from far side of moon (updated)

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04/06/2024 01:32

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    By Eduardo Baptista and Liz Lee
       BEIJING, June 4 (Reuters) - China's Chang'e-6 probe has
lifted off from the far side of the moon, starting its journey
back towards Earth, China's national space agency announced on
Tuesday.
    The probe's successful departure from the moon means China
is closer to becoming the first country to return samples from
the far side of the moon, which permanently faces away from
Earth.
    The probe, which departed the moon at 7:38 am local time
(2338 GMT) successfully completed its sample collection from
June 2-3. 
    China National Space Administration (CNSA) said in a
statement that Chang'e-6 "withstood the test of high temperature
on the far side of the moon". 
        Compared with its predecessor Chang'e-5, which retrieved
samples from the near side of the moon, Chang'e-6 faced an
additional technical challenge of operating without direct
communications with ground stations on Earth, according to CNSA.
  
        Instead, the probe relied on relay satellite Queqiao-2, 
    put into orbit in April
    , for communications. 
  
    The probe used a drill and robotic arm to dig up soil on and
below the moon's surface, according to state news agency Xinhua.
    Chang'e-6 displayed China's national flag for the first time
on the far side of moon after sample acquisition, Beijing Daily
said.
    The probe is now in lunar orbit and will join up with
another spacecraft in orbit, CNSA said on Tuesday morning. 
        The samples will then be transferred to a return module,
which will fly back to Earth, with a landing in China's Inner
Mongolia region expected around June 25.
  
    The return of the lunar samples to Earth is being followed
by scientists around the world, who hope the soil collected by
the Chang'e-6 can help answer questions about the origins of the
solar system.
        The mission has also been closely followed domestically
as a source of national pride. Last month, thousands of tourists
flocked to different viewing spots in the southern island
province of Hainan to watch 
    Chang'e-6's launch
    .
  
        Pictures of a hole left on the lunar surface from the
sample digging by Chang'e-6 went viral on Tuesday on Chinese
social media platform Weibo after state broadcaster CCTV said
the hole was shaped like the character "zhong", a nod to the
Chinese word for China, "zhongguo".
  
        
  

 (Reporting by Eduardo Baptista, Liz Lee, Ryan Woo and Shanghai
newsroom; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Gerry Doyle)
 ((liz.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))