In an unprecedented mission, a Chinese probe launches from the far side of the moon with soil samples Sciences

A Chinese probe collects samples from the far side of the moon

Chinese probe Chang'e-6 It successfully took off from the moon carrying samples collected on the far side of Earth's satellite, according to local press reports. The operation took place on Tuesday (4).

The Chang'e-6 probe landed on Sunday (2) in the massive Aitken Basin, one of the largest known impact craters in the solar system. The area is located on the far side of the moon, according to the China National Space Administration.

Once the materials were collected, “the Chinese national flag carried by the landing module was raised for the first time on the far side of the moon,” the Xinhua news agency said.

Scientists consider that this part of the moon, which cannot be seen from Earth at all, has great potential for research. Craters in the moon's hidden region are not covered by ancient lava flows like those on the side closest to the planet.

Material collected by the Chinese probe could also provide clues about how the Moon formed.

The Chinese flag is raised on the moon, in a photo published on June 4, 2024 – Image: CNSA via Xinhua

China had already placed a spacecraft on the far side of the moon in 2019, but had not collected any samples.

Under President Xi Jinping, the country has devoted great efforts to realizing its “space dream.”

Beijing has invested heavily in its space program over the past decade, and has pursued a series of ambitious initiatives aimed at closing the gap with the two traditional space powers, the United States and Russia.

The Asian country has achieved many notable achievements, including the construction of the Tiangong Space Station, or “Heavenly Palace.”

China also sent robotic probes to Mars, and became the third country in the world to put humans into orbit.

But for the United States, China's space program has been used to hide military objectives and attempt to achieve space dominance.

“We believe that much of your so-called civilian space program is a military program,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson told US lawmakers on Capitol Hill in April.

China intends to send a manned mission to the moon in 2030 and also plans to build a base on the surface of the natural satellite.

The United States also plans to return astronauts to the Moon around 2026, through the Artemis 3 mission.