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Mission record

Chang'e 6

Also known as Chang'e-6

China National Space Administration · Launched

Explore trajectory

Completed · Success

China's Chang'e 6 returned the first samples from the lunar far side after landing in the South Pole-Aitken Basin.

Destinations
Launch vehicle
Long March 5
Launch site
Wenchang Space Launch Site
Countries
China
Mission types
Lander, Sample return

Chronology

Mission timeline

  1. Launch

    Chang'e 6 launched on a Long March 5 from Wenchang Space Launch Site

    Original China standard time (UTC+08:00) converted to UTC at the published minute precision.

    Earth

  2. Orbit insertion

    Chang'e 6 entered circumlunar orbit

    10:12 China standard time converted to UTC at the published minute precision.

    Moon

  3. Landing

    Chang'e 6 landed in the South Pole-Aitken Basin

    Original China standard time (UTC+08:00) converted to UTC at the published minute precision.

    Moon

  4. Departure

    Chang'e 6 ascender lifted off from the lunar surface with far-side samples

    Original China standard time (UTC+08:00) converted to UTC at the published minute precision.

    Moon

  5. Milestone

    Chang'e 6 ascender transferred far-side samples to the returner in lunar orbit

    Original China standard time (UTC+08:00) converted to UTC at the published minute precision.

    Moon

  6. Milestone

    Lunar sample container transferred from the ascender into the return capsule

    Moon

  7. Sample return

    Chang'e 6 returner brought the first lunar far-side samples back to Earth

    Original China standard time (UTC+08:00) converted to UTC at the published minute precision.

    Earth

  8. Deployment

    The lander and ascender separated from the orbiter and returner

    CNSA reports May30 China standard time without a clock. The corresponding possible UTC interval is May29 16:00 through May30 16:00 (exclusive); a unique UTC calendar day or separation instant is not established.

  9. Milestone

    The autonomous mobile camera photographed the lander and ascender on June3 China time

    The primary report supplies a local calendar day without a clock. Do not manufacture an exact UTC release or imaging time.

Mission architecture

Vehicles

  • Chang'e 6 orbiter · Orbiter · Carried the return capsule; continued independently after capsule release. Extended flight coverage is reviewed separately.

    Destinations: Moon

    • Chang'e 6 lander · Lander

      Destinations: Moon

      • Chang'e 6 ascender · Spacecraft · Carried on the lander, then independently launched from the Moon and docked in lunar orbit.

        Destinations: Moon

      • Chang'e 6 autonomous mobile camera · Rover · Approximately 5 kg autonomous robot released after sampling; independently moved to photograph the lander and ascender. No dated traverse yet acquired.

        Destinations: Moon

    • Chang'e 6 return capsule · Return capsule · Recovered on Earth after sample transfer and release from the orbiter.

      Destinations: Moon

Trajectory record

Time-dependent navigation trajectory

Source states place the model at the selected time. Reconstructed flight, estimates, predictions and historical mission plans are identified by interval; gaps remain visible.

J2000 · Sun-centered display · positions interpolated between source states

Coverage: June 22, 2024 to June 23, 2024

Source records and sampling assumptions are retained with the repository data. Model attitude and surface appearance are illustrative.

  • Chang'e 6 orbiter and attached returner: Project Pluto optical-fit Chang'e 6 return-stack estimate, 22–23 June 2024 before the reported maneuver; other phases uncovered. · June 22, 2024 to June 23, 2024

Provenance

Sources

Each source is listed once and labeled with the mission, event, trajectory, or destination/body context it supports.

Data verified through October 11, 2026