Official announcements from the respective space agencies or credible news outlets

China's Chang'e-6 Successfully Lands on Far Side of Moon at 22:23 UTC

Jun 2, 2024, 05:40 AM

China's Chang'e-6 spacecraft has successfully landed on the far side of the Moon, marking a historic achievement in space exploration. The mission, which aims to collect and return samples from the South Pole-Aitken Basin, is the first of its kind. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced that the landing occurred at 22:23 UTC (8:00 pm EDT) on June 1. This mission is part of China's broader lunar exploration program and highlights the country's growing capabilities in space technology. The landing was facilitated by the Queqiao-2 relay satellite and the 7500N main engine. The collected samples are expected to provide new insights into the lunar surface, particularly the less-explored far side. The mission also underscores the increasing space rivalry between China and the United States.