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The Chinese space probe Chang’e-5 has transmitted its first color photographs of the lunar surface. Its module captured a panoramic view extending from the lunar “ground” to the horizon.
Chang’e-5 hit the lunar surface “successfully” on Tuesday, CCTV reported. The spacecraft immediately began collecting rock and dust samples to send to Earth, not before taking its first color photographs.
The unmanned mission, named after the moon goddess in Chinese mythology, aims to collect and bring selenium material to Earth that will help scientists learn more about the moon’s origins and formation process.
Chang’e-5 is the third Chinese mission to land easily on the moon in seven years.
If the mission is successful, China will become the third country to collect selenium evidence after the United States and the Soviet Union achieved such success decades ago.
Different rock carried by the Chang’e-5 probe
No less than 400 kg of rock and dust per month were brought to earth by the American Apollo and Soviet missions. But all of these samples were very old, over three billion years old.
The samples Chang’e-5 will collect should be quite different.
The mission targeted a high volcanic region called Mons Rümker. Evidence at this location cannot be more than 1.2 or 1.3 billion years old and, as such, should provide more information on the geological history of the Moon, writes the BBC.
Publisher: Robert Kiss
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