China News Agency, Beijing, November 24th (Guo Chaokai, Zhang Su) China successfully launched the Chang'e-5 probe on the 24th, starting China's first return journey for sampling extraterrestrial objects.
On the same day, Li Qing, deputy chief designer of the Chang'e-5 probe of the Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said in an exclusive interview with China News Agency that the Chang'e-5 mission cycle will be about 23 days and will be drilled on the lunar surface. The table takes two methods to collect about 2 kilograms of lunar soil and return to the earth.
"The goal and mission of China's Chang'e-5 probe is to realize automatic sampling and return of the lunar surface, collect about 2 kilograms of lunar samples and return them, and carry out ground analysis of lunar samples." Li Qing said that the flight process of the Chang'e-5 mission is divided into launch and orbit. , Earth-moon transfer, near-moon braking, circumlunar flight, landing descent, lunar surface work, lunar surface rise, rendezvous and docking and sample transfer, circumlunar waiting, lunar-earth transfer, re-entry and recovery 11 stages, the total flight time is about 23 days.
It is understood that the Chang'e-5 probe system is one of the most complex spacecraft systems developed by China so far. It consists of four parts: an orbiter, a returner, a lander and an ascender, and is divided into 15 sub-systems.
According to the procedure, the Chang'e-5 probe will land on the moon in late November and land near Mount Rumke on the northern edge of the moon’s largest lunar storm ocean, taking about 2 kilograms of lunar soil samples.
"The Chang'e-5 detector has designed two sampling methods, namely drilling sampling and surface sampling." Li Qing introduced that the drilling sampling uses a drill pipe of about 2 meters (long) to drill into the lunar surface. Collect a sample of about 0.5 kg at a depth of two meters.
Table sampling is multi-point sampling with a robotic arm. The sampling area includes flat ground, impact craters, bumps, and small rocks.
"These samples have different distributions, different geological characteristics, and different evolutionary histories, which can greatly increase the value of scientific research. After drilling and sampling, they are packaged separately, and the sample container is sealed to ensure that the samples are not returned during the return process. Pollution from the external environment." Li Qing said.
The Chang'e-5 mission is to complete the three-step final battle of China's lunar exploration project "circumnavigation, landing, and return". It is also one of China's currently most technically difficult and most complex space missions.
This will be the first time humans have brought back rock and soil samples from the moon in 44 years-the last lunar sample return mission was the Soviet Union Luna 24 in 1976.
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