China launches lunar mission to bring back material from moon
Chang’e 5 — named after the Chinese moon goddess — is the country’s boldest lunar mission yet. If successful, it would be a major advance for China’s space programme, and some experts say that it could pave the way for bringing samples back from Mars or even a crewed lunar mission.
Associated Press
November 24, 2020 / 04:26 PM IST
China launched an ambitious mission on November 24 to bring back rocks and debris from the moon’s surface for the first time in more than 40 years — an undertaking that could boost human understanding of the moon and of the solar system more generally. (Image: AP)
China’s latest trip to the moon is another milestone in the Asian powerhouse’s slow but steady ascent to the stars. Spacecraft typically take three days to reach the moon. The mission is among China’s boldest since it first put a man in space in 2003, becoming only the third nation to do so after the US and Russia. (Image: AP)
Chang’e 5 — named after the Chinese moon goddess — is the country’s boldest lunar mission yet. If successful, it would be a major advance for China’s space programme, and some experts say that it could pave the way for bringing samples back from Mars or even a crewed lunar mission. (Image: AP)
The four modules of the Chang’e 5 spacecraft blasted off at just after 4:30 am on November 24 atop a massive Long March-5Y rocket from the Wenchang launch centre along the coast of the southern island province of Hainan. (Image: AP)
Minutes after liftoff, the spacecraft separated from the rocket’s first and second stages and slipped into Earth-moon transfer orbit. About an hour later, Chang’e 5 opened its solar panels to provide its independent power source. (Image: AP)
The mission’s key task is to drill 2 metres (almost 7 feet) beneath the moon’s surface and scoop up about 2 kg (4.4 pounds) of rocks and other debris to be brought back to Earth, according to NASA. That would offer the first opportunity for scientists to study newly obtained lunar material since the American and Russian missions of the 1960s and 1970s. (Image: AP)
The Chang’e 5 lander’s time on the moon is scheduled to be short and sweet. It can only stay one lunar daytime, or about 14 Earth days, because it lacks the radioisotope heating units to withstand the moon’s freezing nights. (Image: AP)
_2020091018165303jzv.jpg "Decoding The World Of ETF")
CBI books UK-based Cambridge Analytica for 'illegally harvesting data' of Facebook users in India Watch more 
Ideas For Profit | Hamara Bajaj: Strong export demand of two-wheelers, long-term positive outlook Watch more 
Bharat Biotech's Covaxin found to be safe, induced immune response in Phase-1 Watch more 
5 die in Serum Institute of India fire in Pune; no impact on Covishield Watch more 
