The ascender module of a Chinese lunar probe successfully took off from the far side of the Moon on Tuesday bearing samples, state media reported.

"The ascender of China's Chang'e-6 probe lifted off from lunar surface on Tuesday morning, carrying samples collected from the moon's far side, an unprecedented feat in human lunar exploration history," Xinhua said, citing the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

The Chang'e-6 touched down on Sunday in the Moon's immense South Pole-Aitken Basin, one of the largest known impact craters in the solar system, according to the CNSA.

The probe's technically complex 53-day mission began on May 3.

The Chang'e-6 features two methods of sample collection: a drill to collect material under the surface and a robotic arm to grab specimens above the surface.

After successfully gathering its samples, "a Chinese national flag carried by the lander was unfurled for the first time on the far side of the moon", Xinhua said.

Scientists say the Moon's dark side -- so-called because it is invisible from Earth, not because it never catches the sun's rays -- holds great promise for research because its craters are less covered by ancient lava flows than the near side.

Material collected from the far side may better shed light on how the Moon formed in the first place.