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China launched an ambitious mission on Tuesday to bring back material from the lunar surface for the first time in more than 40 years, a feat that could increase human understanding of the moon and the solar system more generally.
Chang’e 5, named after the Chinese moon goddess, is the country’s boldest lunar mission.
A few minutes after takeoff, the spacecraft separated from the rocket’s first and second stages and slipped into Earth-Moon transfer orbit. About an hour later, Chang’e 5 opened its solar panels to provide its own independent power source.
Spacecraft typically take three days to reach the moon.
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