Chinese capsule Chang'e-5 carrying lunar regolith leaves moon orbit for Earth

China’s Chang’e-5 capsule bringing regolith from the lunar surface has begun its journey for Earth. As per China National Space Administration (CNSA), the Chang’e-5 spacecraft left the moon's orbit in the wee hours of December 13 by activating its four engines for about 22 minutes and is expected to land in China’s inner Mongolia region after three days. As per astronomers, Change-5 is expected to bring back an estimated amount of 2 kilograms of lunar rock to earth.

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Chang'e-5 probe, comprising an orbiter, a lander, an ascender, and a returner, was launched on November 24, and its lander-ascender combination touched down on the north of the Mons Rumker in Oceanus Procellarum, also known as the Ocean of Storms, on the near side of the moon on December 1. If successful, this would mark the first spacecraft to bring lunar regolith since Soviet’s Union’s Luna 24 probe in 1976.

Read: China's Chang'e-5 Completes Spacecraft Docking In Lunar Orbit; Transfers Moon Rocks

Complicated mission

This is the first time a Chinese spacecraft has carried out rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit. Chang'e-5 is one of the most complicated and challenging missions in Chinese aerospace history, as well as the world's first moon-sample mission in more than 40 years. China is in the midst of a series of increasingly ambitious space missions including a probe en route to Mars and development of a reusable spaceplane. Plans call for returning a human to the moon five decades after American astronauts.

Speaking about the mission to Xinhua, Pei Zhaoyu, deputy director of the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Centre of the CNSA said, "China chose a complicated technological approach, including unmanned rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit, in order to bring back more samples and lay a technological foundation for manned lunar missions."

Read: Indian-American Raja Chari Among 18 Selected For NASA’s Manned Moon Mission

Read: Chinese Capsule With Moon Rocks Begins Return To Earth

Image: AP