Chinese spacecraft lands on far side of the moon in growing rivalry with US

Technical personnel work at the Beijing Aerospace Control Centre in Beijing on Sunday (Xinhua News Agency/AP)

A Chinese spacecraft landed on the moon’s far side on Sunday to collect soil and rock samples that could provide insights into differences between the less-explored region and the better-known near side.

The landing module touched down at 6.23am Beijing time in a huge crater known as the South Pole-Aitken Basin, the China National Space Administration said.