2nd lunar mission in 2023
The Chang'e program has made three landings there, including on its less explored far side. Chang'e 6, scheduled for a 2023 launch, is to collect more samples from the lunar south pole, while its two successors are to conduct detailed surveys and test technologies needed for the construction of a science base on the moon.

No dates have been given for Chang'e 7 and 8, or for a crewed mission to the moon that China says is in the works, or for the construction of a lunar base. "China is willing to keep on contributing to the world and enhancing human well-being with Chinese space solutions," Wu said. The probe's capsule and its cargo of samples were flown to the space program's Beijing campus after landing just before 2 am on Thursday.

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The mission achieved firsts for China's lunar exploration program in collecting samples, launching a vehicle from the moon's surface and docking it with the capsule to transfer the samples for their voyage to Earth, the China National Space Administration said.

Will offer new insights
The newly collected rocks are thought to be billions of years younger than those obtained earlier by the US and former Soviet Union, offering new insights into the history of the moon and other bodies in the solar system. They will be analysed for age and composition and are expected to be shared with other countries.

02 Kg
Amount of rocks collected from the moon's crust

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