With this significant feat — launching from the moon`s unexplored side — China is on the verge of being the first country to bring back samples from the dark side of the moon

China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe has successfully lifted off from Moon. The probe, as per an announcement from China's national space agency on Tuesday (June 4), is on its journey back to Earth after taking off from the far side of the moon, an area permanently hidden from our view.

With this historic feat — launching from the moon's unexplored side — China is on the verge of being the first country to bring back samples from a part of the moon no other country has touched.

The probe, as per a Reuters report, left the moon's surface at 7:38 am local time (2338 GMT), after gathering samples over two days - June 2 and 3.

According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the Chang'e-6 managed to endure high temperatures during its mission on the far side of the moon.

Chang'e-6 "withstood the test of high temperature on the far side of the moon," said the space agency.

Remarkable Mission

Unlike the previous Chang'e-5 mission, which collected samples from the moon's near side, Chang'e-6 operated under additional technical challenges — the probe had to operate without direct links to Earth.

Instead, it communicated through the Queqiao-2 satellite, launched in April to aid this mission.

Using a drill and a robotic arm, the Chang'e-6 probe collected soil from the moon's surface and just below it, as per reports from Xinhua, the state news agency.

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During its mission, Chang'e-6 also planted China's national flag on the moon's far side for the first time, reported Beijing Daily.

The probe is now orbiting the moon and will soon connect with another spacecraft in orbit, said the CNSA. From there, the moon soil samples will be moved to a return module, and travel back to Earth.

As per reports, the landing is expected to happen in China's Inner Mongolia region around June 25.

(With Inputs From International Agencies)