By 
January 2nd, 2017
Credit: CCTV-Plus
The first Moon-sample return to Earth mission in over four decades is being readied for launch by China.
Chinese engineers are completing work on the Chang’e-5 lunar mission for a launch later this year. If successful, this robotic spacecraft would attempt the first lunar sample return to Earth in over 40 years.
Historical notes
The former Soviet Union successfully executed three robotic sample return missions: Luna 16 returned a small sample (101 grams) from Mare Fecunditatis in September of 1970; February 1972, Luna 20 returned 55 grams of soil from the Apollonius highlands region; Luna 24 retrieved 170.1 grams of lunar samples from the Moon’s Mare Crisium (Sea of Crisis) for return to Earth in August 1976.
Ascender
According to Chinese news services, Chang’e-5 is comprised of four parts including the orbiter, ascender, lander, and Earth reentry module.
China’s Chang’e 3 Moon lander, imaged by Yutu lunar rover.
“The lander and ascender form a combination that will land on the Moon to conduct unmanned sample collection mission,” said Ruan Jianhua, deputy chief designer of China’s Chang’e-5. The lunar samples will be shot back to the Earth contained within the mission’s reentry module.
“We will later conduct research of Mars and other asteroids. We expect to go further in the exploration of deep space,” said Ruan via a CCTV-Plus interview.
Endless exploration
The first stage of China’s lunar expedition program was achieved by sending Chang’e 1, a circumlunar satellite, in 2007. China landed its first lunar probe Chang’e 3 on the surface of the moon in 2013.
China’s robotic circumlunar test flight snapped this image of the Moon with Earth in the distance.
Credit: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Last year, Tian Yulong, chief engineer of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) noted that “lunar exploration is endless.”
Tian said the Chang’e 5 is headed for finishing the third step of “going around, landing and returning.”
“But it doesn’t mean the exploration will cease,” Tian said.
Far side next
Space officials in China are also planning to be the first country to land on the far side of the Moon.
That mission is to be carried out by Chang’e-4, a backup for China’s Chang’e-3 spacecraft, and is due for launch in 2018.
“Our exploration has purposes and goals,” Tian said.
Following a circumlunar voyage in 2014, a return capsule parachuted to Earth. This test was a prelude to China’s Chang’e-5 lunar mission being readied for its return sample mission later this year.
Courtesy: China Space
Long-term path
According to Tian: “We have preliminarily conducted the demonstration of medium-to-long term development path of the Moon-probing system and also proposed to carry out a series of activities with distinctive features including the exploration of the Moon’s north and south poles after special tasks are completed.”
Tian said that China is in discussion with the European Space Agency and other countries “to build bases and carry out scientific investigations on the Moon, which will lay a technology and material foundation for human beings’ landing on the Moon in the future.”
For a behind-the-scenes look at getting China’s Chang’e-5 ready for its lunar mission, go to this CCTV-Plus video:
http://cd-pv.news.cctvplus.com/2016/1231/8039831_Preview_1806.mp4
Posted in Space News
