China’s Challenging Mission: China Launches Robotic Spacecraft ‘Chang’e-5’ To Bring Samples From The Moon For The First Time In 40 Years
China on Tuesday launched a robotic spacecraft ‘Chang’e-5’ to bring samples of rocks and debris from the lunar surface. The spacecraft was released from the Wenchung Spreadcraft launch site in Henan Province. It is the most complex and challenging mission in China’s history.
This is the first attempt of a country to bring samples from space in the last 40 years. If the mission is successful, China will become the third country in the world to bring samples from the moon. Earlier, the US and the Soviet Union had sent astronauts to fetch samples of the moon.
How’s ‘Chang’e-5’ and how will it work
It is made up of an orbiter, lander, ascendant and returner. This Spreadcraft will land one of its landers when it orbits the Moon. The lander will excavate the soil and rock out of the moon. Then will take this sample and go to Ascender. Ascender will take samples and fly through the surface of the moon and join his main vehicle flying in space. China’s main spacecraft will place a sample of the lunar surface in a capsule and then send it off to Earth. This entire mission may take at least 23 days. It is 187 feet long and weighs 870 tonnes.
Why is China’s mission challenging?
Astronauts were sent to missions to the US and the Soviet Union, but China’s mission is challenging in many ways. “Our mission is a little complicated because there are no humans involved,” says Pe Zhou, deputy director of the China National Space Administration. It is entirely based on technology. Our spacecraft is robotic that will bring samples from space.
This mission, Pe says, will advance the development of science and technology in China. This will help in bringing out new things related to space in the country.
