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Robert Pearlman
Xinhua state news agency release
Chang'e 5 takes off from moon with samples
China's Chang'e 5 probe, carrying the country's first lunar samples, blasted off from the moon on Thursday (Dec. 3) at 11:10 p.m. Beijing time (10:10 a.m. EST or 1510 GMT), the China National Space Administration announced.
This represented the first-ever Chinese spacecraft to take off from an extraterrestrial body.
After the samples were collected and sealed, the ascender of Chang'e-5 took off from the lunar surface, and is expected to complete uncrewed rendezvous and docking with the orbiter-returner in lunar orbit, an unprecedented feat.
Robert Pearlman
Xinhua state news agency release
Chang'e 5 completes first spacecraft rendezvous, docking in lunar orbit
The ascender of China's Chang'e-5 probe successfully rendezvoused and docked with the orbiter-returner combination in lunar orbit, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced Sunday (Dec. 5).
This is the first time Chinese spacecraft have carried out rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit.
The samples collected on the moon have been transferred from the ascender to the returner, said the CNSA.
Next, the orbiter-returner will separate from the ascender, and wait for the right time to return to Earth.
Robert Pearlman
Xinhua state news agency release
Chang'e-5 enters moon-Earth transfer orbit
The orbiter-returner combination of China's Chang'e-5 lunar probe on Sunday (Dec. 13 Beijing Time) completed the second orbital maneuver and entered the moon-Earth transfer orbit, sources with the China National Space Administration said.
The probe's returner is expected to land at the Siziwang Banner in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in mid-December.
A small Chinese space capsule has brought back to Earth the first pieces of the moon in more than 40 years.
The gumdrop-shaped "returner" from China's Chang'e 5 mission landed at night on the snow-covered Siziwang Banner in northern Inner Mongolia on Wednesday (Dec. 16). The touchdown, at 12:59 p.m. EST (1759 GMT or 1:59 a.m. local time on Dec. 17), marked the end of the 23-day lunar sample return mission.
Robert Pearlman
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. release
Chang'e-5 orbiter enters sun-Earth trajectory
The orbiter of China's Chang'e-5 lunar probe has successfully entered the halo orbit around the sun-Earth Lagrangian point 1 (L1), becoming the country's first spacecraft in the orbit.
It was captured by the orbit at 1:29 p.m., March 15 [1:29 a.m. EDT March 15] under precise control of the ground crew from Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC).
The orbiter, in a normal working condition, is now 936,700 kilometers away from Earth. It will remain running in the orbit, with a cycle taking about six months.
The L1 point lies between the sun and Earth, and is about 1.5 million kilometers from the latter. At this point, the force of gravity is roughly equal in all directions, so it's easier for spacecraft to maintain a relatively stable operating state with less fuel required.
It is also the best location to place a solar observatory, as it will not be blocked by the Earth or moon and can continuously observe the sun or the sunward side of Earth.
The orbiter, separated from the returner on December 17, 2020, entered the long-term management stage on December 21.
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