China successfully landed a spacecraft on the moon’s surface in a historic mission to retrieve lunar surface samples. It is reported by Reuters with reference to Chinese state media.
The uncrewed mission, named after the mythical Chinese goddess of the moon, aims to collect lunar material to help scientists learn more about the moon’s origins.
The mission will attempt to collect 2 kg (4-1/2 lbs) of samples in a previously unvisited area in a massive lava plain known as Oceanus Procellarum, or “Ocean of Storms”. The lander vehicle that touched down on the moon’s surface was one of several spacecraft deployed by the Chang’e-5 probe.
Upon landing, the lander vehicle is supposed to drill into the ground with a robotic arm, then transfer its soil and rock samples to an ascender vehicle that would lift off and dock with an orbiting module.
The samples would be transferred to a return capsule for the trip back to Earth, landing in China’s Inner Mongolia region.
China made its first lunar landing in 2013. In January last year, the Chang’e-4 probe touched down on the far side of the moon, the first space probe from any nation to do so.
Also, NASA develops the Artemis Space Launch System and it will provide the return of a human to the Moon in 2024.
The first flight of Artemis is planned for 2021; however, it will be unpiloted. According to the plan, in three years, people will fly to the earth satellite – for the first time in almost 40 years.
