Chinese lunar lander landed on moon

A Chinese space probe to collect samples from the moon has landed on the lunar surface. The Chinese state channel CCTV has reported this.

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The Chang’e 5 will collect soil samples on the moon for the next few days. The intention is to bring the mined moon rock on board an ascent module back to the Chang’e capsule, after which the return trip home can be started.

The Chinese hope to get hold of about two kilograms of the moon bottom. If that succeeds, China will soon be the third country – after the United States and Russia – that has taken a piece of the moon with its own hands.

The scout was launched from China last week. His new workplace is Mons Rümker, an old volcanic formation in the northern hemisphere of the moon. It was formed about 1 billion years ago and is therefore younger than many places on the moon that have been explored so far.

In mid-December, the capsule would land in the desert of Inner Mongolia.

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