Beijing, China - June 21, 2024 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Screenshot of social media post from Chang'e-6 mission's official media channel, announcing latest progress of Chang'e-6 mission

In Space - June 6, 2024 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. Various of grippers unfolding
3. Orbiter-returner combination capturing ascender

Beijing, China - June 6, 2024 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
4. Animation showing orbiter-returner combination, ascender docking

In Space - June 6, 2024 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
5. Lunar sample being transferred

Beijing, China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
6. Animation showing orbiter-returner combination orbiting around moon
7. Animation showing orbiter-returner combination running towards Earth
8. Animation showing orbiter, returner separating
9. Animation showing returner returning to Earth
10. Animation showing returner opening parachute, landing

China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe has completed over 70 percent of its Earth-returning journey through its 380,000-kilometer distance, carrying the first-ever batch of lunar samples collected from the far side of the moon, the mission's official media channel announced on Friday.

The Chang'e-6 probe was launched from south China's Hainan Province on May 3, with the goal of bringing back these milestone lunar samples.

The lander-ascent combination successfully touched down in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on June 2, and the probe completed the sample collection operations in two days.

The ascent vehicle then lifted off from the lunar surface on June 4, carrying the precious cargo.

The ascender successfully rendezvoused and docked with the orbiter-returner combination on the lunar orbit on June 6. Shortly after the docking procedure, the container carrying the lunar samples was safely transferred from the ascender to the returner, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

As planned, the probe's returner, carrying the samples, is expected to land in the Siziwang Banner in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.