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China's Chang'e 5 probe collects lunar samples

First lunar samples to be collected since 1976.

Reporter Victoria Nuzzi

The Chang’e 5 probe lifted off at 10:10 EST last Thursday from Oceanus Procellarum on the moon. With the launch, it carried samples from the moon.

The Chang’e 5 probe is a part of China's“Chang’e 5 mission”. The goal of the mission is to bring back lunar samples from the moon to China.

While on the moon, the probe drilled into the moon and then scooped up lunar soil and rocks, and drilled down about 6.5 ft into the lunar surface.

The probe also December 3 planted the Chinese flag on the moon. This is the first Chinese flag to be permanently planted on the moon.

It took the probe approximately six minutes to reach lunar orbit.

China’s national space administration stated that on Sunday the Chang’e 5 probe successfully docked with the Chang’e 5 orbiter. It then transferred approximately 2kg of lunar rocks and soil to Chang’e 5 orbiter. This took approximately 3.5 hours

Hua Chuying, who is the Chinese foreign minister. Also the missions of the People's Republic of China tweeted on December 4th “Proud to have our national flag unfurl on the moon, The #Change5 probe collected samples and took off from the moon. It will contribute to global scientific studies in fields such as the formation and evolution of the moon.”

This was tweeted specifically to the EU.

The Chang’e 5 orbiter will start its trip back to Earth very soon but needs to stay in the moon’s orbit until the right time for departure is seen. This is so it can land in Siziwang Banner, which is in inner Mongolia.

The journey back to Earth from the moon will take around 112 hours and the Chang’e 5 orbiter will have to travel 236,000 miles.

The Chinese are hoping that the Chang’e 5 orbiter will land in Mongolia in mid-December.