Ascender lifts off with lunar rock samples

The results of their survey will play significant roles in the measurement and study of the moon's landscapes, mineral compositions and shallow structures, according to the space administration.

Three European scientific apparatus carried by the Chang'e 6 lander — a radon-measuring instrument from France's national space agency, a dedicated negative ion instrument developed by the Swedish Institute of Space Physics with support from the European Space Agency, and a passive laser retroreflector from Italy's National Institute for Nuclear Physics — also worked on the lunar surface over the past two days.

In addition, a mini-rover carrying a special camera was released from the lander, and it moved around the lander to take pictures, the administration said.

In the next stage, the ascender will remain in lunar orbit for a certain period of time and then rendezvous and dock with the combination of orbiter and reentry capsule. It will transfer the sample-loaded container to the reentry capsule before undocking.