The Chang'e landing module - named after a Chinese moon goddess - will use a mechanical arm and drill to gather up to 2kg (4.4lb) of surface and underground material for about two days.
China has landed a spacecraft on the far side of the moon to collect soil and rock samples and bring them back to Earth for the first time. The Chang'e-6 craft touched down in a huge crater known as the South Pole-Aitken Basin at 6.23am Beijing time on Sunday , the China National Space Administration said. The Chang'e landing module - named after a Chinese moon goddess - will use a mechanical arm and drill to gather up to 2kg of surface and underground material for about two days.
Such missions are more difficult because the far side faces away from the Earth - requiring a relay satellite to maintain communications. The region is also more rugged and features deep craters, meaning fewer flat areas to land.
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