{Disarmed} Chang e 5, the Chinese mission that collected lunar samples, is returning to the Moon, and we don t know exactly why
China's Chang'e 5 mission to the Moon made history in recent years by making China the third country to bring lunar samples to Earth. However, his tasks did not end there, but after successfully completing it, he continued exploring parts of the Solar System. Now, and without our knowing exactly why, he is returning to the Moon.
Chang'e 5 had the most intense moments of his mission during December 2020 . The mission was launched from Earth on November 24 and a few days later arrived and successfully landed on the Moon . Without wasting much time, he collected lunar samples and brought them to Earth by dropping them in a desert in Inner Mongolia. The mission was completed successfully .
Exploring the Solar System
But what happened to the ship after bringing in the samples? China sent the spacecraft to Lagrange point 1 , an area in the Solar System between the Sun and Earth where gravity is strong enough from both stars to allow the satellite to be stationary. China has been monitoring space with Chang'e 5 from there since last March.
Things seem to have changed in the last few days. According to amateur observations (the Chinese space agency has not said anything yet), the spacecraft has altered its position and appears to be heading back to the Moon . The Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center (BACC) is the one who controls the ship and its navigation, although at the moment they have not indicated why this change in position is due.
In xiaomist.com Through the cracks of the International Space Station we see a future in which China and private investment are the protagonists of space explorationThere are different options and possible tasks for Chang'e 5 . It could orbit the Moon again to collect more data, it could go on to orbit the Earth for the same or, as SpaceNews indicates , it could, for example, fly over the asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa . This asteroid is in the sights of China, which wants to collect samples of asteroids near Earth in 2024. All these options depend especially on the propellant that the spacecraft has left and the capabilities it has to change its maneuvers.
Via | SpaceNews
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The news Chang'e 5, the Chinese mission that collected lunar samples, is returning to the Moon, and we do not know exactly why it was originally published in xiaomist.com by Cristian Rus .
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