China successfully landed a spacecraft on the moon surface in a historic mission in order to retrieve lunar surface samples, according to reports emerged from Chinese state media. The Chang’e-5 mission aim is to collect lunar material to assist scientist learn more about the moon’s origins.
On 24th November 2020, China launched its Chang’e-5 probe and immediately began gathering samples of rock and dust to send back to Earth.
The lander captured its first color panoramic photos from the surface of the moon and send them back to earth.
China’s #ChangE5 probe has collected samples from the surface of the moon. This video captures the moment the spacecraft touches down on the moon. #exclusive pic.twitter.com/wp3Sdu1CNc
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) December 2, 2020
Through the on-going moon mission, Chang’e 5 will attempt to collect 4kg of samples in a previously unexplored area in a huge lava plain identified as Oceanus Procellarum or Ocean of Storms.
If China is able to grab the lunar sample and succeeded in mission, then it would make China the third country to retrieve samples. Previously, United States and the Soviet Union are the one who retrieved the lunar rocks successfully.
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The lander vehicle which touched the surface of the moon was one of the several other spacecrafts arrayed by China’s Chang’e-5 probe.
After landing, the lander is supposed to drill into the surface of the moon with robotic arm, after the process it will shift soil and rock sample to an ascender vehicle, who then lift off the lunar sample and dock with one of the orbiting units.
According to the Chinese state media, the lander will gather lunar rocks samples for next two days. After collecting the samples. they will be transferred into a capsule for a trip back to the earth, landing in China’s Inner Mongolia area.
In January 2019, China sent his Chang’e-4 probe on the very far side of the moon, which was the very first space probe from any nation to do so.
