Chang’e-6, an explorer for the far side of the Moon, begins its return journey

China said its lunar exploration vehicle has successfully taken off from the far side of the Moon and began its journey back to Earth carrying the first samples collected from the region.

State media said the Chang’e-6 spacecraft’s storage module lifted off at around 07:38 on Tuesday (23:38 GMT on Monday) to begin its return journey.

On Sunday, the robot landed in a huge crater near the moon’s south pole, a world first that was celebrated by the international science community.

China is the only country to have landed on the far side of the Moon, doing so in 2019.

The Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) described the mission’s landing and launch as “an unprecedented achievement in human lunar exploration”.

The far or “dark” side of the Moon — the side facing away from Earth — is technically challenging to reach because it is so remote, has large, deep craters and few flat surfaces, making it difficult terrain.

Space officials had to use the satellite to guide and maintain communications with the Chang’e-6 spacecraft.

China aims to become the first country to bring back rock and soil samples from the far side of the moon, which scientists say may be very different from the rock compositions of the near side.

State media published a video from China’s space agency showing the Chang’e 6 spacecraft extending its small arm and waving the Chinese flag after collecting precious samples.

It is China’s sixth moon mission, named after Chang’e, the moon goddess in Chinese mythology.

Announcing the conclusion of the sample collection on Tuesday, the CNSA said the spacecraft had “survived the high-temperature test on the far side of the moon” and was now beginning its return journey.

On Tuesday, its ascent module successfully “took off from the lunar surface” carrying samples in a metal vacuum container.

After takeoff, the module entered a “pre-determined orbit around the Moon.” The container will be transferred to a re-entry capsule that will return to Earth, and land in the desert of Inner Mongolia around June 25.

Chang’e-6 spent two days collecting rocks and soil — using a mechanical arm and drill to gather about 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of material.

It is headquartered in the South Pole-Aitken Basin – a giant crater on the far side of the Moon that is one of the largest known craters in the Solar System.

Sending the spacecraft there was risky, because once it reaches the far side of the Moon, it is very difficult to contact the spacecraft.

Chinese space officials described the mission as involving “many engineering innovations, high risks and great difficulties”.

Scientists are excited about these samples, which could possibly be the oldest rocks on the Moon.

Those living in China will be given the first chance to analyze the rocks, and later researchers from around the world will also be able to apply for this opportunity.

“Everyone is very excited that maybe we’ll be able to see rocks that no one has ever seen before,” Professor John Pernett-Fisher, a lunar geologist at the University of Manchester, told the BBC last week.

Analyzing a rock from a completely different region of the moon could answer fundamental questions about planetary formation, he said.

The Moon’s south pole is the next stop for lunar missions – countries are keen to explore the region, as there is a good chance there may be ice there.

Access to water would greatly increase the chances of successfully establishing a human base on the Moon for scientific research.

This is China’s second mission to collect samples from the Moon – but its first to retrieve samples from the far side of the Moon.

In 2020, its Chang’e-5 spacecraft brought back 1.7 kilograms of material from a region called Oceanus Procellarum on the moon’s near side.

And a year ago, China became the first country to reach the far side of the moon with the landing of its Chang’e-4.

China plans three more unmanned missions this decade as it looks for water on the moon and investigates establishing a permanent base there. The country already has its own space station known as Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace.

Beijing’s broader strategy aims to see a Chinese astronaut walk on the moon by 2030.

The US also aims to send astronauts back to the Moon, with NASA aiming to launch the Artemis 3 mission in 2026.