China reported that a spacecraft carrying rock and soil samples from the far side of the Moon has lifted off from the satellite’s surface to begin its journey back to Earth. The ascent vehicle of the Chang’e-6 probe took off on Tuesday morning, Beijing time, and entered a pre-established orbit around the Moon, as reported by the China National Space Administration. The Chang’e-6 probe was launched last month, and its lander module landed on the far side of the Moon. The Long March 5 rocket, which carried the Chang’e-6 mission lunar probe, was at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in … Continue reading Chang’e-6’s 53-Day Odyssey: First 2 Kg of Lunar Samples from Moon’s Far Side Now Earthbound