According to the analysis From the China National Space Administration (CNSA), China's Chang'e-5 space probe brought to Earth around 1,731 grams of samples taken on the Moon. It is the third country to achieve this, after the US and Russia.
The Chang'e-5 probe, comprising an orbiter and landing, ascent and return modules, was launched on November 24. The return capsule landed in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region three weeks later, bringing the lunar samples with it.
Mons Rümker Moon Rock
China's Chang'e 4 probe successfully landed on the far side of the Moon for the first time in history, and now it has brought back the first samples of lunar rocks in 40 years: the samples it has brought are from a volcanic area of the Moon called Mons Rümker.
The cargo has been transferred to the lunar sample laboratory at the National Astronomical Observatories controlled by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
During the six Apollo expeditions that landed on the moon 2,415 samples with a total weight of 382 kg were collected.. Most collected by the Apollo 15, Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 missions, between the three, a total of 283 kg of samples. Most rocks are stored under extreme cold, in liquid nitrogen, to keep them free of moisture or other external agents.
Lunar Mission / Collected Sample
- Apollo 11 / 22 kg
- Apollo 12 / 34 kg
- Apollo 14 / 43 kg
- Apollo 15 / 77 kg
- Apollo 16 / 95 kg
- Apollo 17 / 111 kg
- Moon 16 / 101 g
- Moon 20 / 55 g
- Moon 24 / 170 g
Genesis Rock, brought by the Apollo 15 mission.
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The news
China has brought back 1,731 grams of samples from the Moon, the first brought to Earth in more than 40 years
was originally published in
Xataka Science
by
Sergio Parra
.