Chang'e-6 capsule opened: 1.9 kg rocks, soil from Moon's far side recovered

Days after the Chang'e-6 sample cannister landed in the inner Mongolian desert after completing a round trip to the Moon, Chinese scientists have received the first-ever rocks and soil samples from the lunar far side.

The Chang'e-6 mission, which concluded its 53-day journey on June 25, successfully delivered these precious materials to Earth, marking a significant milestone in lunar research.

The return capsule, carrying the valuable cargo, touched down in the grasslands of Inner Mongolia before being swiftly airlifted to Beijing on June 26.

WATCH CHINESE SCIENTISTS OPEN CHANG'E-6 CAPSULE

At the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), which designed the mission spacecraft, a ceremony was held to open the capsule and examine its contents.

During this event, researchers carefully extracted a sample container holding up to 2 kilograms of lunar material. These samples, collected from the South Pole-Aitken Basin, are expected to provide unprecedented insights into the moon's geological history and formation.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced on Friday that the Chang'e-6 mission successfully collected 1,935.3 grams of samples from the moon's far side.

This achievement surpasses initial expectations and provides scientists with a substantial amount of material for analysis.

China's Chang'e 6 probe has returned on Earth with rock and soil samples from the little-explored far side of the moon in a global first. (Photo: AP)

The samples have now been transferred to specially developed facilities for storage, analysis, and distribution to research teams. Chinese scientists are eager to begin their work, hoping to uncover new secrets about the moon's history and its relationship to Earth's early development.

This accomplishment solidifies China's position as a leading player in space exploration, being the first nation to successfully retrieve samples from the moon's far side.

The mission's success not only advances scientific understanding but also paves the way for future lunar exploration endeavours.