China probe will bring back pieces of the moon's far side

China has launched a probe that will fly to the far side of the moon and bring pieces of it back to Earth. The Chang'e-6 probe aims to help us better understand the distant side of the lunar surface. The area is hard to explore because it is cut off from radio communications with Earth - but it could be a key resource for work such as radio astronomy, since it is shielded from interference from our own planet.

- ANDREW GRIFFIN

The launch of the rocket yesterday is the latest and perhaps most spectacular aspect of the country's attempts to overtake the US in the new space race. It already has a crew on its own space station, and aims to land humans on the moon by 2030. But first it must head there with landers - three of which are planned to be sent there over the next four years.

The rocket carrying the Chang'e-6 lunar probe - named after the Chinese mythical moon goddess - lifted off yesterday at 5.27pm as planned from the Wenchang launch centre in the island province of Hainan. About 35 minutes later it separated entirely from the rocket that had slung it into space - the massive Long March 5, which is China's largest - as technicians monitoring the launch from ground control smiled and applauded.

Shortly afterwards, launch mission commander Zhang Zuosheng took to a podium at the front of the room and said that the launch had gone off exactly as planned and the spacecraft was on its set trajectory. "I declare this launch mission a complete success," Zhang said, to further applause.