China is ready to bring “souvenirs” to the world

Seeking to become the third country in the world to bring Moon samples to Earth, China is preparing to launch the Long March 5 Chang’e-5 rocket – and has already placed it on the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center platform. The expectation is that the take-off will take place next Tuesday (24). Due to the large size of the equipment (878 tons), it took two hours to complete the process, which took place on Monday (16).

The Asian country has been dedicated since September to preparations for the event, expected from 2017, at which time a failed attempt has postponed plans that are only now being put into practice. The confidence this time around lies in the fact that, in July of this year, Tianwen-1, headed for Mars, worked correctly.

Hopefully, Chang’e-5 will land alongside a lunar volcanic formation located at Oceanus Procellarum, a region on the western edge of the natural satellite that contains geological units that are approximately 1.21 billion years old, much younger than those brought. by Apollo astronauts, aged 3.1 to 4.4 billion years.

To collect the roughly 2kg of samples through 2m deep holes, some challenges will have to be overcome – and they are by no means modest.

For everything there is a first time

According to Yu Dengyun, deputy chief designer of the Chinese lunar exploration program, the main obstacle to the mission is the collection of rocks: “The gravity of the Moon is different from that found on Earth, accounting for about 1/6. circumstances, sample packaging is the key point to work on. We have never tried it before. “

“Also, we usually complete the rocket launch to Earth at a fixed point. We have a proven technique in this field. However, we still have a hard time taking off from the landing module, which is unprecedented in our history, ”he adds.

In case of adversity, Chang’e-6 already exists, which, if necessary, will offer support to the equipment already installed; not being used this time, it will be headed for a mission in 2023, to the lunar south pole.

Other projects for the construction of a research station are already underway – but, of course, it all depends on the development of the story that starts next week.