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The spacecraft carrying the lander at Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the island of Hainan. The lander will spend three days gathering materials from the surface of the Moon. Reuters
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A ground control team views data sent back by China's Chang'e-6 probe at the Beijing Aerospace Control Centre on Monday. EPA
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Technical personnel work at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) in Beijing, China, 02 June 2024. China's Chang'e-6 touched down on the far side of the moon on 02 June, and will collect samples for the first time in history, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced. EPA / XINHUA / Jin Liwang CHINA OUT / UK AND IRELAND OUT / MANDATORY CREDIT EDITORIAL USE ONLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY
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The Chang'e 6 touched down in the South Pole-Aitken Basin at 6.23am Beijing time on Sunday morning. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ULCTNCQ7IHVG7TF534XESHVKJQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=0377fdd4e21c4b200a48751587754b76c9292f194695b04f8cfbbb9c08c73a58&width=400&height=225)
The spacecraft carrying the lander at Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the island of Hainan. The lander will spend three days gathering materials from the surface of the Moon. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PMIHG5TWSBSLZRRPGQU2ZLJUCE.jpg?smart=true&auth=1e4645fc5419ced8eef69c10a639b25cd390fcaa7bca7624f87118781c739b57&width=400&height=225)
A ground control team views data sent back by China's Chang'e-6 probe at the Beijing Aerospace Control Centre on Monday. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UQMB6OAYIB7657BMKJVSLXSAWE.jpg?smart=true&auth=3b07b6d3441a63d41ccd5e69f24eafcdf86c5f16494e59d23e428ddd0b56a3f9&width=400&height=225)
Technical personnel work at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) in Beijing, China, 02 June 2024. China's Chang'e-6 touched down on the far side of the moon on 02 June, and will collect samples for the first time in history, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced. EPA / XINHUA / Jin Liwang CHINA OUT / UK AND IRELAND OUT / MANDATORY CREDIT EDITORIAL USE ONLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WAEMLVGFDV5W6LMGVTO2IAJOCU.jpg?smart=true&auth=01c5f4ee9d793a76f9f4b30f0ddbac709bba8fd4e122beb837d7a62273169cda&width=400&height=225)
The Chang'e 6 touched down in the South Pole-Aitken Basin at 6.23am Beijing time on Sunday morning. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ULCTNCQ7IHVG7TF534XESHVKJQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=0377fdd4e21c4b200a48751587754b76c9292f194695b04f8cfbbb9c08c73a58&width=400&height=225)
The spacecraft carrying the lander at Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the island of Hainan. The lander will spend three days gathering materials from the surface of the Moon. Reuters
China races against time to collect lunar samples after Chang’e-6 lands on Moon’s far side
Window of only 14 hours to gather samples due to limited communication with spacecraft
![Sarwat Nasir](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F5a1721d1-b1fc-47a7-8c35-985395d5a5ae.png?smart=true&auth=59b598b8295381dbbb5492b5ef6a2ffa0d77e07c0a1086053fcdbee600f14b7f&width=70&height=70)
Sarwat Nasir
03 June, 2024
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