China’s Chang’e 5 return capsule landed in Inner Mongolia early on 17 December 2020 carrying material collected from the Moon, completing the first successful lunar sample-return mission in 44 years.

A complex robotic mission

The spacecraft launched in November, entered lunar orbit and placed a lander near Mons Rümker. After drilling and scooping material, an ascent vehicle lifted the samples from the surface, docked robotically in lunar orbit and transferred them to the Earth-return capsule.

Scientific value

The samples came from a geologically younger region than those visited by earlier American and Soviet missions. Researchers expected the material to improve estimates of the age of lunar surfaces and deepen understanding of volcanic activity on the Moon.

International significance

Chang’e 5 made China the third country to return lunar samples successfully. Chinese space officials also said material and data would be made available for international scientific cooperation, adding a research dimension to intensifying global lunar exploration.

Sources

• China National Space Administration
• Reuters

Featured image: space-exploration photograph, illustrative. Photo by ün LIU on Unsplash.