According to the analysis of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), China’s Chang’e-5 space probe brought to Earth about 1,731 grams of samples taken on the Moon . It is the third country to do so, after the US and Russia.
The Chang’e-5 probe, which comprises an orbiter and landers, 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
The Chinese probe Chang’e 4 successfully landed on the far side of the Moon for the first time in history, and now it has brought back the first lunar rock samples in 40 years: the samples it has brought back are from a volcanic area of the Moon called Mons Rümker .
The shipment has been transferred to the lunar sampling laboratory at the National Astronomical Observatories controlled by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
During the six Apollo expeditions that landed , 2,415 samples with a total weight of 382 kg were collected . Most collected by the Apollo 15, Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 missions, among the three, a total of 283 kg of samples. Most rocks are stored under extreme cold, in liquid nitrogen, to keep them free from moisture or other external agents.
Lunar Mission / Sample Collected
- Apollo 11/22 kg
- Apollo 12/34 kg
- Apollo 14/43 kg
- Apollo 15/77 kg
- Apollo 16/95 kg
- Apollo 17/111 kg
- Luna 16/101 g
- Moon 20/55 g
- Moon 24/170 g
Genesis Rock, brought by the Apollo 15 mission.