China launches sample-return spacecraft to moon

By Robert Morgan

China has launched a mission to the dark side of the moon to collect lunar soil samples and return them to Earth, it was announced Friday.

The rocket carrying the Chang’e 6 spacecraft, which includes a lunar lander and lunar orbiter, took off from Wenchang Space Center in China’s southernmost province Hainan just before 5.30pm local time, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The Chang’e 6 mission, named for the Chinese moon goddess Chang’e, aims to collect around...