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China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe successfully landed on the far side of the Moon to collect samples, state news agency Xinhua reported Sunday — the latest leap for Beijing’s decades-old space program.
The Chang’e-6 set down in the immense South Pole-Aitken Basin, one of the largest known impact craters in the solar system, Xinhua said, citing the China National Space Administration.
It marks the first time that samples will be collected from the rarely explored area of the Moon, according to the agency.
The Chang’e-6 is on a technically complex 53-day mission that began on May 3.
Now that the probe has landed, it will attempt to scoop up lunar soil and rocks and carry out other experiments in the landing zone.
