This Good 5 The return capsule with lunar samples has been dispatched for the opening of the Beijing laboratory, a research team will eagerly await their opportunity to start studying fresh lunar samples.
Given Lunar research mission success, China’s space officials say the next step is to co-operate with scientists from other countries to analyze lunar samples.
China is ready to establish a lunar sample-analysis request, a team of home-foreign scientists plans to consider requests for samples.
China on the moon! History of Chinese lunar missions in pictures
Zhang Kejian, head of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), declared Chang’e 5 a success. Chinese space officials said the mission wrapped up plans to return China’s three-moon lunar exploration program to orbits, landings and samples, which began in 2004, Chinese space officials said.
“Now that Chang has returned from the 5th test with samples of lunar lands, an important step is that we will extend extensive cooperation with scientists from other countries in the in-depth study of lunar lands.” Said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV).
Chang 5 laid the foundation for China’s future crude moon and deep space exploration efforts, including building a research base on the moon if all goes according to plan.
“We look forward to collaborating with other countries to build an international lunar scientific research station,” said Pa Zhao, deputy director of CNSA’s Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center. Could. .
Search and recovery teams
On Wednesday (December 16), the return capsule was detached from the ground control by a Chang 5 Orbiter / Returner craft while over the Atlantic Ocean, according to the CNSA. The capsule entered the Earth’s atmosphere and, after aerodynamic degradation, re-emerged. The capsule was then re-entered for a second aerodynamic degradation.
The capsule’s parachute opened at a distance of about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the ground, and the craft landed in a predetermined area of Inner Mongolia. The search and recovery teams found it in short order.
In the helicopter, an air team detected the capsule using an infrared camera, while the ground team reached the ice-covered landing site in the SUV. Ground teams cordoned off the area, confirmed touchdown coordinates and built a communication station to connect to the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center.
“We have just measured the shape of the crater that landed on the returnee, which is part of a collection of scientific data. [put on a] A ‘new warm coat’ to prevent the remaining propellant from freezing during Zurich airport transport, where the propellant will be expelled from there [the] Returner, “said Space Product Assurance Assistant, Cao Raiqiang. In a CCTV interview.
Chang’s 5 capsules were loaded onto a truck and then flown to Beijing by helicopter and plane.
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Lunar Laboratory
The Chang 5 was built to bring back 4.4 lbs. (2 kg) lunar specimens. The mission consisted of four modules – an orbiter, a lander, a climber and a returnee.
Multi-phase mission Launched November 23. On December 1, its lander-ascendant compound touched the north side of the moon near the moon, north of Mons Ramkar of the Oceanic Procelarum, also known as the Storm Ocean.
In Beijing, the CNSA The Chinese material will be transferred to the Lunar Sample Laboratory at the National Astronomical Observatory (NAO) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, specially designed for collection, processing and analysis of features.
“The biggest challenge is to unsell the sample package in an environment that is sealed in a vacuum environment. [on the moon]”In a CCTV interview, Zhang Guangling, chief designer of the ground application system for the third phase of the Chinese lunar exploration project, said.” To address this, we often tested and created a special procedure. We will unpack the samples in a vacuum atmosphere, and transfer them to a nitrogen atmosphere for storage and processing. ”
Analysis methods
“The first thing we considered was to use as many methods of damage and free analysis as possible, such as observing optical characteristics under a microscope, and spectral measurement in a laboratory,” said Xu Qin, also known as the chief designer. In the CCTV interview, the ground application system of the third phase of the Chinese lunar exploration project.
“Of course, these measurements will be carried out and analyzed with special atmospheres such as high-purity nitrogen to minimize the influence of the Earth’s atmosphere on lunar samples.” “In addition, we will also do some chemical compound analysis, which will do the damage. We will expand the analysis, and try to get the most useful information in the smallest amount.”
You can watch the newly released videos focused on the Changi 5 Return capsule Here, Here And Here.
Leonard David is the author of the recently published book “Moon Rush: The New Space Race”, published in May 2019 by National Geographic. David, a longtime author of Space.com, has been reporting on the space industry for more than five decades. Follow us on Twitter @speed.com and Facebook. This version of the story published on space.com.
