Chang’e 6 moon mission returns 1st far side sample to Earth

The China National Space Administration’s (CNSA) Chang’e 6 lunar lander sits on the southern portion of the Apollo crater on the moon. The craft touched down there at 6:23 a.m. Beijing time, June 2 (June 1, 2024 at 22:23 UTC). On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, the mission’s sample return capsule landed in the Siziwang Banner province of China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Credit: CNSA via NASA.

Far side lunar real estate came to Earth on Tuesday

In another success for the burgeoning Chinese space industry...