posted 11-23-2020 03:12 PM               

China launches Chang'e 5 on first attempt at moon rock return in 44 years

China has launched a spacecraft to the moon in an attempt to do something that has not been achieved in almost 45 years — return lunar samples to Earth.

The Chang'e 5 mission lifted off on a Long March 5 rocket from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island, located in the South China Sea, on Monday (Nov. 23) at 3:30 p.m. EST (2030 GMT or 4:30 a.m. local on Nov. 24).

The mission is targeting a moon landing in the Mons Rümker region of Oceanus Procellarum ("Ocean of Storms"), a previously unexplored area on the Earth-facing or near side. It is expected to operate for one lunar day (two weeks) on the surface, during which it will collect up to 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of lunar regolith — soil and small moon rocks — from a depth up to 6.5 feet (2 meters).

posted 11-28-2020 09:35 AM               

China's Chang'e-5 probe enters lunar orbit

China's Chang'e-5 probe decelerated and entered the lunar orbit on Saturday [Nov. 28], completing a vital step on its way to collect and return moon samples, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced.

After flying about 112 hours from Earth, an engine on the probe ignited when it was 400 km away from the surface of the moon at 8:58 p.m. [Beijing time, 8:34 a.m. EST] and shut down after about 17 minutes, the CNSA said.

The probe performed the braking without incident and entered the lunar orbit successfully, according to the real-time monitoring data.

Chang'e-5, comprising an orbiter, a lander, an ascender, and a returner, has carried out two orbital corrections during the Earth-Moon transfer, achieving its expected goals.

Afterward, it will adjust the altitude and inclination of its orbit around the moon. When the time is appropriate, the lander-ascender combination will separate from the orbiter-returner combination, implement a soft landing on the near side of the moon, and carry out automatic sampling as planned.

posted 12-01-2020 10:50 AM               

China's Chang'e 5 probe lands on moon to collect and return lunar samples

China has landed a robotic spacecraft on the moon, moving a step closer to returning the first lunar samples to Earth in more than 40 years.

The Chang'e 5 lander touched down in the moon's Oceanus Procellarum ("Ocean of Storms") on Tuesday (Dec. 1), a week after launching from China. The four-legged probe, which is equipped with an ascent vehicle for the return of moon rocks and soil, was confirmed down on the lunar surface at 10:11 a.m. EST (1511 GMT or 11:11 p.m. Beijing time).

posted 12-01-2020 11:34 PM               

Chang'e 5 collects moon samples

China's Chang'e 5 probe has collected moon samples, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced Wednesday (Dec. 2).

The lander-ascender combination of Chang'e 5 has finished the tasks of moon sample drilling and packaging at 4:53 a.m. Beijing Time Wednesday (3:53 p.m. EST Tuesday).

It is gathering samples from the surface as planned.

After successfully landing on the near side of the moon late Tuesday, the Chang'e 5 probe carried out preparation work including unfolding solar wings.

The probe adopts two methods of moon sampling, including using drills to collect samples and gathering samples from the surface with a mechanical arm.

posted 12-03-2020 10:15 AM               

Chang'e 5 takes off from moon with samples

China's Chang'e 5 probe, carrying the country's first lunar samples, blasted off from the moon on Thursday (Dec. 3) at 11:10 p.m. Beijing time (10:10 a.m. EST or 1510 GMT), the China National Space Administration announced.

This represented the first-ever Chinese spacecraft to take off from an extraterrestrial body.

After the samples were collected and sealed, the ascender of Chang'e-5 took off from the lunar surface, and is expected to complete uncrewed rendezvous and docking with the orbiter-returner in lunar orbit, an unprecedented feat.

posted 12-05-2020 04:34 PM               

Chang'e 5 completes first spacecraft rendezvous, docking in lunar orbit

The ascender of China's Chang'e-5 probe successfully rendezvoused and docked with the orbiter-returner combination in lunar orbit, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced Sunday (Dec. 5).

This is the first time Chinese spacecraft have carried out rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit.

The samples collected on the moon have been transferred from the ascender to the returner, said the CNSA.

Next, the orbiter-returner will separate from the ascender, and wait for the right time to return to Earth.

posted 12-12-2020 10:30 PM               

Chang'e-5 enters moon-Earth transfer orbit

The orbiter-returner combination of China's Chang'e-5 lunar probe on Sunday (Dec. 13 Beijing Time) completed the second orbital maneuver and entered the moon-Earth transfer orbit, sources with the China National Space Administration said.

The probe's returner is expected to land at the Siziwang Banner in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in mid-December.

posted 12-16-2020 01:41 PM               

China's Chang'e 5 returns with first moon rock samples in 44 years

A small Chinese space capsule has brought back to Earth the first pieces of the moon in more than 40 years.

The gumdrop-shaped "returner" from China's Chang'e 5 mission landed at night on the snow-covered Siziwang Banner in northern Inner Mongolia on Wednesday (Dec. 16). The touchdown, at 12:59 p.m. EST (1759 GMT or 1:59 a.m. local time on Dec. 17), marked the end of the 23-day lunar sample return mission.

posted 03-19-2021 08:22 AM               

Chang'e-5 orbiter enters sun-Earth trajectory

The orbiter of China's Chang'e-5 lunar probe has successfully entered the halo orbit around the sun-Earth Lagrangian point 1 (L1), becoming the country's first spacecraft in the orbit.

It was captured by the orbit at 1:29 p.m., March 15 [1:29 a.m. EDT March 15] under precise control of the ground crew from Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC).

The orbiter, in a normal working condition, is now 936,700 kilometers away from Earth. It will remain running in the orbit, with a cycle taking about six months.

The L1 point lies between the sun and Earth, and is about 1.5 million kilometers from the latter. At this point, the force of gravity is roughly equal in all directions, so it's easier for spacecraft to maintain a relatively stable operating state with less fuel required.

It is also the best location to place a solar observatory, as it will not be blocked by the Earth or moon and can continuously observe the sun or the sunward side of Earth.

The orbiter, separated from the returner on December 17, 2020, entered the long-term management stage on December 21.