China’s lunar probe Chang’e-6 returns from far side of the moon

A large screen shows news footage of China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe collecting a sample from the far side of the moon, in Beijing, China, on June 4, 2024 [Tingshu Wang/Reuters]

A Chinese space probe has returned to Earth carrying samples from the far side of the moon.

The Chang’e-6 lunar probe landed in China’s northern region of Inner Mongolia on Tuesday. The successful end of the nearly two-month-long mission is a boost for China, which is the first country to bring samples back from the hemisphere of the moon that always faces away from Earth.