China's lunar probe lifts off from the moon with samples

China's Chang'e-6 probe successfully lifted off from the lunar surface on Tuesday, marking a world-first achievement and the latest milestone in Beijing's decades-old space program. The spacecraft, which landed on the far side of the moon last month, had collected rock and soil samples, stowing them in a container inside the ascender before taking off. This mission is significant as it is the first to successfully take off from the Moon's far side, which does not face the Earth, making missions more challenging. The Chang'e-6 probe entered a preset orbit around the moon after lift-off and will return to Earth with the samples, allowing scientists to deepen their research on the formation and evolutionary history of the Moon. The Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) described the mission's landing and lift-off as an "unprecedented feat in human lunar exploration."