Unraveling Chang'e-6: Steps of lunar samples' journey back to Earth

The first-ever samples collected from the far side of the moon were successfully transferred from the Chang'e-6 ascender to the returner module on Thursday and are set to return to Earth.

The ascender of China's Chang'e-6 probe successfully rendezvoused and docked with the probe's orbiter-returner combination in lunar orbit at 2:48 p.m. Beijing Time on Thursday, according to the China National Space Administration.

How will the samples get to Earth from the moon that is about 380,000 kilometers away?

It takes the following steps:

Step 1: The probe started to collect samples after landing on the far side of the moon on June 2. The samples were packaged in a canister-like container on top of the ascender.

Step 2: The ascender took off from the moon's surface and rendezvoused and docked with the probe's orbiter-returner combination. The samples were transferred from the ascender to the returner during this step, which was completed on Thursday.

Step 3: After orbiting the moon for around 14 days, the orbiter-returner combination will enter the moon-Earth transfer orbit.

Step 4: The combination will then operate in the orbit for about five days and will make one to three orbital adjustments during this period.

Step 5: At a position around 5,000 kilometers above Earth, the returner will separate from the orbiter and start the phase of re-entering the atmosphere and returning to Earth.

Step 6: The returner will touch down at a planned landing area at Siziwang Banner in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. That will mark the end of Chang'e-6's 53-day journey of flying to the moon and back.

After arriving on Earth, the sample container from the far side of the moon will be opened in a nitrogen-filled environment to make sure the samples are not polluted by Earth's atmosphere.