China: Moon probe preparing to return rock samples to Earth

China’s latest lunar probe has finished taking samples of moon’s surface and sealed m within craft for return to Earth, government anunced Thursday. Chang’e 5, third Chinese probe to land on moon, is latest in a series of increasingly ambitious missions for Beijing’s program, which also has a probe en route to Mars carrying a robot rover.

Chang’e 5 touched down Tuesday on a mission to return lunar rocks to Earth for first time since 1976. probe “has completed sampling on moon, and samples have been sealed within craft,” China National ministration said in a statement.  Plans call for upper st of probe to be launched back into lunar orbit to transfer samples to a capsule for return to Earth.

(Im Credits: Xinhua via AP)