The first lunar sample-return mission since the 1970s is underway.
China’s robotics Good 5 missions Launched today (November 23) from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Henan Province, at about 5:30 a.m. EST (2130 GMT; 4:30:30 a.m.) Long March 5 with the top of the rocket soaring into the sky. November 24. Henan at local time).
If all goes according to plan, the bold and complex Chang will take samples of the ancient moon returning to Earth in mid-December 5 – something that hasn’t happened since the Soviet Union’s Luna 24 mission in 1976.
In pictures: China on the moon! History of the Chinese Lunar Mission
Chang 5’s short mission will be full of action. 18,100-lb. The spacecraft will probably orbit the moon around Nov. 9, then send two of its four modules – a lander and an ascending vehicle – to the lunar surface. Then one day. (Chinese officials have been typically vague about the details of Chang’e 5, so timeline information from a variety of sources has been compiled by Chinese space observers such as Space News.) Andrew Jones, Which also provides articles for Space.com.)
The mission will land in the Mons Ramkar area of the plain Oceanius Procelerum (“Ocean of Storms”) of the giant volcano, which has been explored by other surface missions, including parts. NASA’s Apollo 12 In 1969.
The stationary lander will study its surroundings with a camera, ground-preceding radar and spectrometer. But its main job is to snag about 4.4 lbs. (2 kg) lunar material, some of which will be excavated up to 6.5 feet (2 m) underground. This work will be done during two weeks or one lunar day – a fixed deadline, given that Chang 5 Lander is solar-powered and will not be able to operate once it falls in place at night.
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The Monus Rumker Harbors rocks that formed just 1.5 billion years ago, which means that “good” will help scientists understand what is happening late in the lunar history, as well as how the Earth and the solar system evolved, as well as nonprofits. The Planetary Society noted its Mission Description. (2,848 pounds, or 2,388 kilograms, the lunar rocks, which were brought home by Apollo astronauts between 1969 and 1972, are very old, providing a window into the una lunar past.)
The Chang5 Lander will transfer its samples to the ascending vehicle, introducing them into lunar orbit with two other mission elements, a service module and an attached Earth-Return capsule. The lunar material will be filled into a return capsule, which will pull the service module back to Earth, releasing it just before the touchdown scheduled for December 16 or December 17.
“While human-rated vehicles like NASA Apollo Capsule Relying entirely on full heat protection, Chang will do 5 ‘ignore again’, once the atmosphere slows down before heading to landing in Inner Mongolia, “the Planetary Society wrote.” The landing place is the same used. For [China’s] Crew Shenzo spacecraft returned. “
Pieces of Heaven: A Brief History of the Sample-Return Mission
Chang 5, China’s first sample-return attempt, is the sixth and most ambitious mission Chang’s program Robotic lunar exploration, named after the moon goddess in Chinese mythology. China launched Chang 1 and Chang 2 orbits in 2007 and 2010, respectively Good 3 The Lander-Rover pair reached the lunar side in December 2013.
The Chang 5T1 mission launched a prototype return capsule on an eight-day lunar journey in October 2014 to help prepare for the Chang 5. And in January 2019, Chang 4 The first mission was to make a soft landing on the mysterious distant side of the moon. The Chang 4 Lander and Rover are still as strong as the Chang 3 Lander. (Chang 3 Rover died after 31 months of work on the lunar surface.)
The Chang5 is part of a recent addition to the sample-return mission. On December 6, for example, fragments of the planet Raiguna collected by Japan Hibusa 2 Mission Australia is coming down to Australia. And NASA’s OSIRIIRIS-Rex probe a A hefty specimen of the asteroid Bennu Last month; That material will come to Earth in September 2023 if it goes according to plan.
Mike is the author of “Wall L”Out there“(Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Carl Tate), a book about the quest for alien life. Follow him on Twitter ઇકMikeHeldVall. Follow us on Twitter @speedotcom or Facebook.
