China plans to bring moon rocks to Earth
by Stuart Clark from on (#2ACQR)
China's most ambitious moonshot to date will use one of the most powerful launchers in the world
China will launch its next lunar mission in November this year. Chang'e-5 will attempt to retrieve samples of moon rock and return them to Earth. If the mission succeeds it will be the first lunar sample return since the Soviet Union's Luna-24 in 1976.
The mission will be China's most ambitious moonshot to date. Weighing in at 8.2 tonnes, the spacecraft will be launched by China's Long March 5 rocket. This heavy-lift vehicle is one of the most powerful launchers in the world. Its maiden flight took place on 3 November 2016.
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