2022 RT Banner.gif

China Daily

News> Nation> Content
Monday, November 30, 2020, 18:06
China's Chang'e 5 probe prepares to land on moon
By Xinhua
Monday, November 30, 2020, 18:06 By Xinhua

This image grab made from video animation provided by the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) shows China's Chang'e 5 probe as it carries out a second braking maneuveur on Nov 29, 2020. (PHOTO / BEIJING AEROSPACE CONTROL CENTER)

BEIJING - China's Chang'e 5 probe is preparing for a soft landing on the moon to undertake the country's first collection of samples from an extraterrestrial body.

The lander-ascender combination of the spacecraft separated from its orbiter-returner combination at 4:40 am Monday (Beijing Time), according to the China National Space Administration

The lander-ascender combination of the spacecraft separated from its orbiter-returner combination at 4:40 am Monday (Beijing Time), according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

ALSO READ: China's Chang'e-5 probe enters lunar orbit

Launched on Nov 24, Chang'e 5 is one of the most complicated and challenging missions in China's aerospace history, as well as the world's first moon-sample mission for more than 40 years.  

The spacecraft is performing well and communication with ground control is normal, CNSA said.

READ MORE: Chang'e 5 launched to fetch moon samples

The lander-ascender combination will execute a soft landing on the moon and carry out automatic sampling. The orbiter-returner will continue orbiting about 200 kilometers above the lunar surface and wait for rendezvous and docking with the ascender.


Share this story

CHINA DAILY
HONG KONG NEWS
OPEN
Please click in the upper right corner to open it in your browser !