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Wednesday, December 16, 2020, 16:43
Chang'e-5 completes 2nd orbital correction en route to Earth
By Xinhua
Wednesday, December 16, 2020, 16:43 By Xinhua

This photo taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing on Dec 3, 2020 shows an image of the ascender of Chang'e 5 spacecraft flying above the lunar surface. (JIN LIWANG / XINHUA)

BEIJING - China's Chang'e-5 probe completed its second orbital correction on the moon-Earth transfer orbit Wednesday morning, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

The orbital correction was conducted at 9:15 am when the two 25N engines on the orbiter-returner combination were operational for about eight seconds.

The CNSA said all systems on the orbiter-returner combination are currently in good condition.

The orbiter-returner combination entered the moon-Earth transfer orbit on Sunday and completed its first orbital correction on Monday

The orbiter-returner combination entered the moon-Earth transfer orbit on Sunday and completed its first orbital correction on Monday.

READ MORE: North China ready for landing of Chang'e 5 return capsule

The orbiter and returner will separate from one another at the appropriate time, according to the CNSA. The returner is expected to land at the Siziwang Banner in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Meanwhile, the preset landing site in Siziwang Banner is ready for the homecoming, the mission's search and retrieval team said Tuesday

Chang'e-5 is one of the most complicated and challenging missions in China's aerospace history. It is also the world's first moon-sample mission in more than 40 years.

ALSO READ: Chang'e-5 completes first orbital correction en route to Earth

The Chang'e-5 probe, comprising an orbiter, a lander, an ascender and a returner, was launched on Nov 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 Dec 1. 

Chinese scientists are also expecting Chang’e-5 to bring back from the space trip a variety of plant seeds that may bring bigger harvests.

According to the Space Breeding Innovation Alliance, its space breeding program was part of the payload. Seeds, including rice, orchids, alfalfa and oats, embarked on the round trip to the moon on Nov 24 when the probe was launched.

Space breeding in China began in the 1980s. After being exposed to cosmic radiation and zero gravity, some seeds can mutate and produce higher yields and improved quality when planted back on Earth, scientists say.

ALSO READ: China's Chang'e-5 completes sampling on moon

By 1996, seeds of 51 crop plants and more than 300 varieties had been launched into space. In 2006, a satellite named Shijian-8 successfully returned to Earth carrying 215 kg of seeds of vegetables, fruits, grains and cotton, the largest payload of its kind since 1987. Many crops developed with space-bred seeds have been planted in China.

With the rapid development of China's space program, researchers from Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences have been looking for quality forage seeds with new space technologies, hoping to lessen China's dependence on imports.

Since 2009, the institute has sent 38 batches of seeds from nine forage types into space in seven trips, including three Shenzhou series spacecraft, the Tiangong-1 space lab, recoverable satellite Shijian-10, and the new-generation manned spaceship and Chang'e-5 probe.

The institute has cultivated Zhongtian No 1 Alfalfa, which is grown widely in north China.

READ MORE: North China ready for landing of Chang'e 5 return capsule

Researchers say it is not possible to predict whether seeds sent into space will eventually mutate or how they will mutate. The answer is only revealed when they return to Earth for planting and further breeding.


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