Chinese spacecraft returns to Earth carrying moon rocks

 

BEIJING: A Chinese lunar spacecraft capsule has returned to 

Earth with the first fresh samples of rock and debris from the moon in more than 40 years.


The capsule of the Chang'e 5 probe landed in 

the Siziwang district

 of 

the Inner Mongolia region

, state media reported shortly after 2:00 a.m. on Thursday (1800 GMT).


It had earlier separated from its 

orbiter module

 and performed a bounce off the Earth's atmosphere to reduce its speed before passing through and floating down on parachutes.


Two of the Change 5's four modules set down on the moon on Dec. 1 and collected about 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of samples by scooping them from the surface, and by drilling 2 meters (about 6 feet) into the moon's crust.


The samples were deposited in a sealed container that was carried back to the return module by an ascent vehicle.


The successful mission was the latest breakthrough for China's increasingly ambitious space program.

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