Tag: China
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China launches Earth-observation satellite for stereo mapping
A Long March 3B rocket lifts off from the Xichang launch base at 11:58 a.m. Beijing time Sunday with the Gaofen 14 satellite. Credit: Xinhua China launched an optical stereo mapping satellite Sunday, using an upgraded version of the country’s Long March 3B rocket with an extended payload shroud to deliver the Earth-imaging spacecraft into…
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Chinese mission accomplishes first-ever robotic docking in lunar orbit
Chang’e 5’s ascender spacecraft approaches the mission’s return vehicle in lunar orbit. Credit: CNSA The Chinese Chang’e 5 mission accomplished the first robotic docking between two spacecraft orbiting the moon Saturday, when a lunar ascent spacecraft linked up with an Earth return vehicle and transferred a container of moon rocks to bring home in mid-December.…
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China’s Chang’e 5 sample return craft takes off from the moon
The Chang’e 5 ascender spacecraft lifts off from the moon in this view from an upward-facing camera on the mission’s descent stage, which remained on the moon’s surface. Credit: CNSA Wrapping up a busy two days on the lunar surface, a Chinese spacecraft carrying moon soil took off from a makeshift launch pad and fired…
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Chinese probe completes sample collection work on lunar surface
This image from a panorama taken by the Chang’e 5 sample return lander shows one of the spacecraft’s landing legs on the lunar surface. Credit: CNSA Chinese officials said the Chang’e 5 mission finished drilling and scooping samples from a lunar lava plain late Wednesday, hours before the spacecraft’s robotic ascender was due to take…
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Video replay of Chang’e 5’s landing on the moon
The China National Space Administration released an accelerated video replay of the Chang’e 5 spacecraft’s landing in the Oceanus Procellarum region of the moon Tuesday. The Chang’e 5 mission’s goal is to collect more than 4 pounds of rocks for return to Earth in mid-December, the first lunar sample return mission since 1976. The…
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China lands on Moon after causing deep confusion by stopping broadcast
Eight days after launching from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in southern China, the nation’s Chang’e 5 mission has landed at Mons Rümker on the Moon to collect approximately 2 kg of material for near-immediate return to Earth. The Chang’e 5 lander began final descent at 09:58 EST (14:58 UTC) with an expected touchdown 15…
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China lands sample return probe on moon
The shadow of one of Chang’e 5’s landing legs is visible in this image from the spacecraft after touching down on the moon Tuesday. Credit: CNSA A Chinese spacecraft successfully touched down on the moon Tuesday, beginning what engineers have described as the most challenging phase of the mission to drill, scoop, and seal rocks…
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China’s Chang’e 5 spacecraft enters lunar orbit
Artist’s illustration of the Chang’e 5 spacecraft’s initial elliptical orbit around the moon. Credit: CCTV Five days after taking off on a heavy-lift Long March 5 rocket, China’s Chang’e 5 sample return spacecraft entered orbit around the moon Saturday, moving into position for a descent to the lunar surface in a bid to gather specimens…
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Live coverage: Chinese sample return spacecraft completes docking in lunar orbit
Live coverage of the Chinese Chang’e 5 lunar sample return mission launching on a Long March 5 rocket. Text updates will appear automatically below. Follow us on Twitter. [tabby title=”CGTN launch webcast”] [tabbyending]
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China launches world’s first lunar sample return mission since 1976
The Chang’e 5 lunar orbiter, lander, and sample collection return vehicle left its sea-side launch pad at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Center in Wenchang, Hainan province, People’s Republic of China to begin its journey to the moon right on time at 20:30:12 UTC (15:30:12 EST) on 23 November. The mission launched on a Chang Zheng…