China’s Chang’e-6 spacecraft displays the national flag on the far side of the moon for the first time. Photo: Screenshot from a China National Space Administration (CNSA) video

The mobile camera carried by the Chang’e-6 captured a photo of the lander and launcher on Monday. Photo: CNSA

The unfurled flag is made of new composite materials. Photo: CNSA

The Chang’e-6 lander’s camera took a panoramic photo of the lunar surface on the north side of the landing site before sampling. At the top of the image is Chaffee Crater and at the bottom the craft’s leg. Photo: CNSA

Chang’e-6 completed rapid intelligent sampling in the Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon from Sunday to Monday. Photo: Xinhua

The lander captures a photo of 10-kilometer-wide craters on the far side of the moon on Sunday. Photo: CNSA

The lunar surface, pocked with craters, is seen from the lander as it descends on Sunday. Photo: CNSA

The landing site was relatively flat, apart from a few rocks. Photo: CNSA