China’s Chang’e-6 Returns to Earth After Moon Mission

China’s Chang’e-6 spacecraft, which launched on May 3, successfully completed its mission on the dark side of the Moon and returned to Earth. After landing on the Moon on June 2, Chang’e-6 collected soil and rock samples and returned today, landing in Inner Mongolia. The samples will be analyzed in Beijing, potentially providing insights into the Moon’s and Earth’s formation. Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the mission’s success, emphasizing the importance of continued space exploration. This mission follows China’s 2019 Chang’e-4 mission, which sent the Yütu-2 rover to the Moon’s dark side. China aims to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030.