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China plans to launch an unmanned spacecraft to the moon this week to bring back the moon rocks in the first attempt by any nation to recover samples from Earth’s natural satellite since the 1970s. The Chang’e-5 probe, named after the ancient Chinese moon goddess, will test China’s ability to remotely acquire samples from space before more complex missions. If successful, the mission will make China only the third country to have recovered lunar samples, after the United States and the Soviet Union decades ago. The Chinese probe, scheduled for launch in the next few days, will attempt to collect 2 kg of samples in a previously unvisited area in a massive lava plain known as Oceanus Procellarum, or “Ocean of Storms”. The Chang’e-5 mission can help answer questions like how long the moon has been volcanically active inside it and when its magnetic field – the key to protecting any life form from solar radiation – has dissipated. Once in the moon’s orbit, the spacecraft will aim to deploy a couple of vehicles to the surface: a lander will drill through the ground, then transfer its soil and rock samples onto a blocker that will lift and dock with an orbiting module. If this is successful, the samples will be transferred to a return capsule that will take them back to Earth. China made its first moon landing in 2013. In January 2019, the Chang’e-4 probe landed on the far side of the moon, the first since any nation’s spacecraft. Within the next decade, China plans to establish a robotic base station to conduct unmanned exploration in the South Pole region. In July, China launched an unmanned probe to Mars on its first independent mission to another planet. Australian Associated Press
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China plans to launch an unmanned spacecraft to the moon this week to bring back the moon rocks in the first attempt by any nation to recover samples from Earth’s natural satellite since the 1970s.
The Chang’e-5 probe, named after the ancient Chinese moon goddess, will test China’s ability to remotely acquire samples from space before more complex missions.
If successful, the mission will make China only the third country to have recovered lunar samples, after the United States and the Soviet Union decades ago.
The Chinese probe, scheduled for launch in the next few days, will attempt to collect 2 kg of samples in a previously unvisited area in a massive lava plain known as Oceanus Procellarum, or “Ocean of Storms”.
The Chang’e-5 mission can help answer questions like how long the moon has been volcanically active inside it and when its magnetic field – the key to protecting any life form from solar radiation – has dissipated.
Once in the moon’s orbit, the spacecraft will aim to deploy a couple of vehicles to the surface: a lander will drill through the ground, then transfer its soil and rock samples onto a blocker that will lift and dock with an orbiting module.
If this is successful, the samples will be transferred to a return capsule that will take them back to Earth.
China made its first moon landing in 2013. In January 2019, the Chang’e-4 probe landed on the far side of the moon, the first since any nation’s spacecraft.
Within the next decade, China plans to establish a robotic base station to conduct unmanned exploration in the South Pole region.
In July, China launched an unmanned probe to Mars on its first independent mission to another planet.
Australian Associated Press
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