China's Chang'e-6 Lunar Probe Returns with Rare Moon Rocks
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China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe has successfully returned to Earth with the first-ever samples from the Moon's unexplored far side.
The probe landed in the Inner Mongolia desert on Tuesday after a nearly two-month-long mission fraught with risks.
Scientists eagerly await the samples, as they could provide crucial insights into planetary formation.
Scientists are particularly interested in this less-explored region because it may contain traces of ice, which can be harvested for water, oxygen, and hydrogen.
The successful Chang'e-6 mission is a source of national pride and has drawn attention from China's rival, the US.
State media broadcast officials planted the Chinese flag just after the probe's capsule landed in Inner Mongolia.
President Xi Jinping congratulated the mission team, expressing his hope for continued deep space exploration to benefit humanity and advance the nation.
Pertinent to mention here that Pakistan’s satellite ICUBE-Qamar, which began its journey to the moon onboard China’s largest rocket, successfully entered the celestial body’s orbit and still existing there.
The rocket, carrying the ICUBE Qamar, continued its journey after releasing the satellite into the orbit.
The ICUBE-Qamar sent its signals to the earth to show it was functional.
The ICube-Q orbiter, which carries two optical cameras to image the lunar surface, is a 7kg cube satellite or a cubesat.