First public announcement from involved space agencies or state media

China's Chang'e 6 Begins 53-Day Mission to Explore Moon's Far Side with International Collaboration

May 7, 2024, 05:25 AM

China's Chang'e 6 mission, which launched this week, is set to explore the far side of the moon over a 53-day expedition and marks a significant step in lunar exploration. The mission includes international collaboration with payloads from the European Space Agency, Italy, France, and Pakistan. Notably, the mission is carrying a surprise rover and aims to retrieve the first samples from the moon's far side. The mission includes three objects cataloged as Chang'e-6, CZ-5 upper stage, and ICECUBE-Q. This mission is part of China's broader space ambitions, demonstrated by their capability to conduct crewed missions to the lunar surface, a capability currently not matched by the US.