China’s Chang’e-6 Collects Moon Samples and Launches Them into Lunar Orbit Written 4 June 2024
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China’s Chang’e-6 lander and ascender on the Moon (artist’s impression) | Credit: China News Service; Wikipedia; CC BY 3.0
Space News reports, “Material from the far side of the moon has begun its journey for Earth after Chinese spacecraft collected samples and launched them into lunar orbit. The Chang’e-6 mission ascent vehicle lifted off from atop the mission lander in Apollo crater at 7:38 p.m. Eastern June 3 (2338 UTC), the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced. The ascender is now tracking the Chang’e-6 orbiter in a retrograde low lunar orbit.”
Full Story (Space News)