China Launches Probe to Retrieve Samples from Far Side of Moon

China has successfully launched a rocket carrying the Chang'e-6 probe, aimed at retrieving samples from the far side of the Moon. The Long March-5 rocket blasted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre and is expected to land in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the Moon's far side within two months. This mission marks another milestone in China's lunar and space exploration program, which has been rapidly advancing in recent years. The Chang'e-6 spacecraft is tasked with collecting samples from the Moon's surface and returning them to Earth, a feat that has not been achieved since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 mission in 1976. The launch is seen as China's bid to strengthen its position in the race against the US to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface. NASA is also planning to send astronauts to the Moon in the near future, with a focus on establishing a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.