Artistic renderings offer images of next-generation spacecraft

After reaching their preset orbital positions, the landing module and the spacecraft carrying astronauts will rendezvous and dock with each other. Two crew members will enter the landing module, which will then undock and descend toward the lunar surface for an engine-assisted soft landing.

On the moon, the astronauts will drive a rover to carry out scientific tasks and collect samples. Upon the completion of their assignments, they will return to the landing module, which will fly them back to their spaceship waiting in lunar orbit.

In the final stage, the astronauts will carry the samples into their spacecraft, which will then undock and carry the crew back to Earth.

So far, China has carried out five robotic missions to the moon. It has deployed two rovers on the celestial body and has retrieved samples through the most recent Chang'e 5 mission.

The very next step in China's lunar adventure — the Chang'e 6 robotic mission — has been set to land on moon's far side and will collect and bring samples back.

If Chang'e 6 succeeds, it will become the first time for man to get samples from the far side, which never faces the Earth and is little known to the mankind.