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China’s Chang’e-5 probe is on its way to the moon on a mission that could bring back the first samples of moon rocks and earth in more than 40 years.
The 8.2-ton spacecraft was launched into space from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern China at 4:30 a.m. local time on November 24 (8:30 p.m. universal time, November 23) on top of a Long Rocket March 5.
Like China’s previous lunar probes, Chang’e-5 is named after a moon goddess in Chinese mythology. This probe consists of an orbiter, a lander, an ascent vehicle and a reentry capsule.
The craft follows an Earth-Moon transfer path that should bring it into lunar orbit five days after launch. On or about November 29, the twin lander and ascension vehicle are expected to separate from the orbiter and land on a lava dome known as Mons Rümker.
The mound is believed to contain rocks that formed relatively recently in geological terms – 1.2 billion years ago. Samples from such a region could provide the youngest rocks ever brought back from the moon and shed new light on recent phases of lunar geology.
Chang’e-5’s lander is designed to study its surroundings with cameras and scientific instruments, including ground-penetrating radar and a spectrometer. The most important scientific payloads are a mechanical shovel and a drill that can go up to two meters below the surface.
Because the lander is powered by solar energy, all lunar surface operations will need to be completed in two weeks, before the two-week lunar night begins at Mons Rümker.
Up to two kilograms of samples can be stored on the ascension vehicle, which is due to take off from the lunar surface in early December, make an appointment with the orbiter and transfer the material to the re-entry capsule.
If all goes according to plan, the Orbiter will bring back the Moon capsule and drop it as it hovers over Earth in mid-December. The capsule is designed to survive atmospheric reentry and perform a parachute-assisted landing in the deserts of Inner Mongolia.
The last time a probe brought back fresh samples from the Moon was in 1976, thanks to the Soviet Luna 24 mission. NASA’s Apollo missions returned more than 800 pounds of moon rock and soil for study. on Earth between 1969 and 1972.
Peng Jing, deputy chief designer of the Chinese lunar probe, said Chang’e-5 could be considered an “important mission”.
“Its success will help us acquire the basic capabilities for future deep space exploration, such as sampling and taking off from Mars, asteroids and other celestial bodies,” Peng said, quoted by Chinese official news agency Xinhua.
NASA’s first opportunity to bring back lunar samples could come in 2024, if the Artemis program’s schedule for sending astronauts to the moon and back is maintained. In September, NASA presented a plan by which commercial space companies could store samples on the Moon and then transfer ownership of that material to the space agency.
NASA took note of Chang’e-5’s launch in a tweet, and called on China to share mission data with the global scientific community:
NASA’s reference to sharing scientific data has sparked a debate on Twitter about international space policy – including the fact that U.S. law excludes bilateral cooperation with China on space matters due to security concerns. At least one state-affiliated Chinese media outlet, the English-language Global Times, has taken umbrage at NASA’s request in a Tweeter:
Main image: China’s Long March 5 rocket sends the Chang’e-5 probe into space. Credit: CNSA / CLEP
This is an updated version of a report originally posted to Cosmic Log.
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