China's Chang'e-6 lunar lander touched down on the far side of the moon on Sunday.
It laned in a huge crater named the South Pole-Aitken Basin, said the China National Space Administration.
It's set to collect soil and rock samples, using a drill and a mechanical arm to gather up to 2 kilograms of moon dust and rocks.
The samples could provide insights into differences between the less-explored region and the near side of the moon.
After gathering the samples, the probe will return to lunar orbit and dock with a re-entry capsule to return to Earth, according to the China National Space Administration.
The mission is the sixth in the Chang'e moon exploration program, according to the Associated Press.
China's moon program is part of a growing rivalry with the U.S.
China has ambitious plans to put astronauts on the moon by 2030, CNN reported. The United States is the only country to land a man on the moon to date.
Beijing also hopes to build a research base at the moon's south pole.
The U.S. is planning to land astronauts on the moon again in 2026.
Private-sector rockets to launch spacecraft have faced numerous delays.
Just Saturday, the launch of Boeing's first astronaut flight was called off in the last moments before launch because of computer problems.
