China's Space Ambition: Unmanned Probe Returning on the 17th

Chang'e 5, Which Collected Lunar Surface Soil and Rocks, Expected to Arrive Early Tomorrow Morning
If Safe Return, China Becomes Third Country to Collect Lunar Surface Samples

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] It has been reported that China's unmanned lunar probe Chang'e 5 has completed preparations for its return to Earth.

Chang'e 5 took off from the Moon after collecting lunar soil and rock samples on the 3rd and has been preparing for its return to Earth.

According to Chinese media including Xinhua News Agency on the 16th, the Chang'e 5 return capsule made its final orbit adjustment and will soon land in Shizuowang, a grassland area in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Chinese media forecast that the Chang'e 5 return capsule could land in the Shizuowang area around 1 to 2 a.m. local time on the 17th.

The Chang'e 5 return capsule is said to be only one-seventh the size of a manned return module.

Chinese media report that the Chang'e 5 return capsule uses a semi-ballistic skip reentry method, known as the "water skipping" technique, when entering Earth's atmosphere. This method is difficult to control, resulting in a very wide recovery area for the return capsule.

In preparation, the recovery team dispatched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province conducted about 30 surveys of the terrain in the area and identified hazardous geographical features such as communication towers and valleys.

They also transmitted radar-measured data to helicopters and vehicles to assist in the search, and used high-powered searchlights to help search personnel quickly locate the return capsule.

Chang'e 5 was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province on the 24th of last month. It landed on the northwestern plain of the Moon, the "Oceanus Procellarum," on the 1st, collecting about 2 kg of soil and rock samples. It then took off again from the lunar surface on the 3rd and began its return journey, traveling 380,000 km at a speed of 11 km/s, and is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere soon.

If the Chang'e 5 return capsule lands safely, China will become the third country after the United States and Russia (former Soviet Union) to collect samples from the lunar surface.