At 4:30 AM local time, Nov. 24 (20:30 UTC Nov. 23), China’s heavy-lift Long March-5 rocket and the Chang’e-5 spacecraft lifted off from the Wenchuan base on Hainan Island to travel to the Moon. It is the most complex mission so far in China’s lunar program, requiring an orbiter, a lander, an ascent vehicle to rendezvous with the orbiter, a capsule to hold the lunar sample, and a return vehicle to transport the precious cargo to Earth. The goal of the mission is to bring at least 2 kilograms of rocks and soil from the Moon. There will also be a few locations where a drill will go down deeper, as much as 2 meters, and retrieve soil.
Chang’e-5 Is on its Way to the Moon
About the author
Latest articles
Related coverage
-
Science and Technology Paid
Rosatom: a Star of the Russia-Africa Summit
-
Science and Technology
In the U.S., More People Die of Cancer Each Year—While Any Given Person Is Far Less Likely To
-
Science and Technology Paid
Mission to Mars' Moons Functioning Perfectly
-
Science and Technology
Tanzania Uranium Project Advances