China's Chang'e-5 successfully lands on moon to collect lunar samples

China National Administration (CNSA) on Tuesday, anunced that its Chang'e-5 probe has successfully landed on near side of moon. Chinese Lunar Exploration Programme's robotic mission aims to bring back moon samples to Earth for first time since 1970s.

Chang’e 5 probe is latest experiment by  Chinese programme that sent its first astronaut into orbit in 2003, has a craft en route to Mars, and aims eventually to land a human on moon. lander was launched on vember 23 at 20:30 UTC from tropical sourn island of Hainan. It is expected to return to Earth around December 16–17.

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Lander to collect 2 kilograms of rocks and debris

lander is expected to spend next couple of days examining its surroundings and garing up surface materials. lander will drill into lunar surface and will collect 2 kilograms of rocks and debris. sample will be lifted up into orbit and transferred to a return capsule for trip to Earth. If mission is successful, it will be first time scientists have collected fresh samples of lunar rocks since a Soviet probe in 1970s.

first samples of lunar rocks were brought by US astronauts with NASA's Apollo programme from 1969 to 1972. y brought back about 382 kilograms of lunar samples during  missions.

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China's Chang'e 5 flight is its third successful lunar landing after its predecessor, Chang'e 4, became first probe to land on moon's little-explored far side last year. latest flight includes collaboration with European ncy, which is helping to monitor mission.

Meanwhile, Chinese  programme has proceeded more cautiously than United States and Soviet race of 1960s, which was marked by fatalities and launch failures. China became third country to send an astronaut into orbit on its own in 2003 after Soviet Union and United States and also launched a crewed station.

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(With ncy inputs; Im-AP)