4 years ago
Chinese government announced on Wednesday that Chinese spacecraft had successfully landed on the moon. Unmanned spacecraft will return to Earth after collecting some rocks from the moon.
Named Change 5, spacecraft landed on the moon at 11 pm on Tuesday, according to Chinese National Space Administration. Space administration has also released photos of it landing on the moon.
Chinese space agency says Chang Yan has collected samples of rocks on the moon. Spacecraft successfully hoisted its solar panels as it landed on the moon, providing spacecraft with energy it needed.
Launched on November 24 from China's Hainan Province, spacecraft is an ambitious project in Chinese space program. The first spacecraft carrying a Chinese astronaut was launched from Hainan Space Center in 2003.
China is currently launching a spacecraft to explore Mars. China plans to land an unmanned spacecraft on the moon soon.
This time, spacecraft will stay on the surface of the moon for two days and collect 2 kg of rocks and other substances from there. Spacecraft will land in northern China in mid-December.
If the flight is successful, it will be the first time since 1970s that a new pattern has been obtained from Earth's crust. China said the samples would be made available to scientists in other countries for research.
Meanwhile, US and Russian space program officials have congratulated China on its success.
Tomas Jarbuchen, head of scientific missions at the US space agency NASA, took to Twitter to congratulate China on the success of Good 5 mission. "It's not an easy task," wrote Tomas.
Last time a stone was brought to Earth from moon was in 1976 by a Soviet space mission.
United States astronauts brought 382 kilograms of rock from moon to Earth between 1969 and 1972. Study and analysis of these stones continues to this day.
