And Chang’e 5 appears to be in good shape to collect important soil material in the coming days.
The Chinese have managed to safely place their lunar module on the lunar surface. This is reported by the Chinese space agency. Yesterday, Chang’e 5 launched the landing and successfully landed on the pre-selected landing area. And so important soil material can now be collected.
Landing
Change’e 5 consists of four parts: an orbiter with the reentry capsule and a lander with an ascent stage. The Change’e 5 combination consisting of the lander and ascent stair have now descended to the surface of the moon. The lunar module was maneuvered to the right place, although at last he was left on his own: Change’e 5 scanned the surface completely autonomously, looking for a safe landing site. Chang’e 5 spotted an obstacle-free landing site and then descended, slowly but steadily, toward its target. In the end, Change’e 5 managed to land successfully on the mountain Mons Rümker; a remote volcanic formation located in the northwestern portion of the Moon’s front.
Photo
The Chinese can breathe a sigh of relief. Because the landing went entirely by the book. Proof? Change’e 5 delivered the photo below. The photo was taken with the landing camera that the lander is equipped with.
Photo taken with the landing camera on board Chang’e 5 just before the probe landed on the lunar surface. Image: CNSA
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Over the next few days, Chang’e 5 will prepare for its next important task: collecting soil samples. Unlike its predecessors, Change’e 5 will not only land on the lunar surface this time, but – for the first time in 44 years! – also sample our natural satellite. And if all goes well, China will become the third country – after the United States and the former Soviet Union – to collect lunar samples from the moon.
Two kilos
The intention is to collect about two kilos of lunar material during the mission. These samples will then be taken back to Earth, where this material will be subjected to a thorough inspection. In this way, Chinese researchers hope to learn more about the moon, such as how our natural satellite once saw the light of day.
Chinese godin
Change’e 5, like its predecessors, is named after the Chinese goddess of the moon, Chang’e (嫦娥 工程). The goal of this project is therefore self-evident: to explore the moon. As the name suggests, Chang’e-5 is not the first Chinese moon mission. In 2007, the Chinese placed the satellite Chang’e 1 in orbit around the moon. Three years later, Chang’e 2 was placed in orbit around the moon. In 2013, the Chinese first put a lander and rover on the surface during the Chang’e 3 mission. In December 2018, China then sent a lander and rover to the far side of the moon. These were originally supposed to serve as a reserve for the Chang’e 3 lander and rover, but because the mission went well in 2013, the Chinese chose to give the reserve lander and rover its own mission.
Chang’e 5 is supposed to collect the targeted monsters sometime in the coming days. Subsequently, this soil material will be returned to the orbiter by means of the ascent stage. And then Chang’e 5 returns home. In that respect, this Chinese mission is short-lived. Because the intention is that the samples will be delivered to Earth around December 15.
Andere maanmissies
Chang’e turned 5 launched at the end of November in arrived at our natural satellite a few days later. Although the mission goes further than its predecessors, as mentioned, the Chinese space agency has not yet stopped after this mission. The Chang’e 6 and Chang’e 7 and Chang’e8 missions are already on the drawing board. The intention is to build a robotic research station on the South Pole of the moon. Chang’e 6, 7 and 8 are scheduled to go to the moon in 2023, 2024 and 2027 to fully map this area. After that, there is another plan to send a manned mission to the moon in 2030 to actually build the station.
By the way, China is not only interested in the moon. The country is also showing interest in the red planet. Last July, China launched a Mars lander, rover and orbit, which should help determine whether life ever existed on Mars or whether life may even still be found. This Chinese marching mission has been given the name Tianwen-1, which means ‘Asking Heaven’. China is therefore working hard on the way. So we can still count on great discoveries from the country.
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