00:02This video was recently sent back to Earth from the moon, but NASA had nothing to do with this
00:07mission. It was captured by China's Chang'e 6 lunar probe, all part of their latest successful
00:12lunar mission to land on the far side of the moon. The lander has now made its home in the
00:17South Pole-Aitken Basin, the largest impact crater on the face of Earth's only natural satellite.
00:22The lunar craft has just begun relaying data back to mission controllers on Earth,
00:26but this is only the start to an intensely complicated 52-day mission. The craft is set
00:31to start collecting samples from this unexplored area of the dark side of the moon. That collection
00:36effort is supposed to last just two days before the craft will attempt a remote launch and return
00:41those samples home. The untold secrets these samples hold about the moon's composition are of great
00:47import to scientists, as the far side of the lunar surface is less covered in ancient lava flows.
00:52Experts say this could tell us a whole lot more about how the moon was formed in the first place,
00:57shedding some light on our orbital partner. China has a similar timeline as NASA for putting human
01:02boots back on lunar soil once again, hoping to do so by 2030. They are also looking to set up
01:07a moon
01:07base as well, following no doubt more successful missions in the near future.
