China’s Chang’e-5

1. Why in news?

1.1. Change’e-5 lunar mission will become the first probe in over 4 decades to bring back samples of rock from previously unexplored part of the moon.

2. What is the mission about?

2.1. Chang’e-5 probe is Chinese National Space Administration’s lunar sample return mission

2.1.1. launched from Wenchang Space launch Centre on Hainan Island in China.

2.2. aims to land on the Mons Rumker region of the moon

2.2.1. And return a 2 kg sample of rock from lunar surface by digging about 2 meters deep into the surface of the moon.

3. How does the lunar samples discovered help ?

3.1. 1. It helps to unravel important questions related to the moon’s science and astronomy

3.1.1. like the moon’s age,formation of the moon.

3.2. 2. It helps to study the similarities and differences between the Earth and Moon’s geological features

3.3. 3. To see if it can give any information related to the solar system itself.

4. Which probes have returned samples before from the lunar surface?

4.1. 1. Luna 16 probe of the Soviet Union

4.1.1. returned a sample taken from the Mare Fecunditatis area of the moon in 1970

4.2. 2. Lune 16 probe returned soil from Apollonius highlands region.

4.3. 3. ,Luna 24 mission

4.3.1. collected a sample from 2 meters deep into the lunar surface

5. What was the Chang’e-4 probe launched last year by China?

5.1. transmitted images from the far side or dark side of the moon

5.1.1. the first probe ever to launch on the dark side of the moon.