Mustard on the Moon! China launches far-side Lunar lander with biology onboard, 8th Dec 2018

[friedaweed]

The plants in the biosphere are growing. Here a cotton seedling:

What's the ETA on the noodle bar?

 

[2hats]

The DSLWP-B microsatellite that was launched with Chang'e 4 caught some nice shots of the total solar eclipse shadow on the Earth on 2nd July:

 

[2hats]

The Chang'e 5 lunar sample return mission is targeting a 23 November launch around 2100UT (according to NOTAMs).

Would likely see a lunar landing no earlier than 28 November (TLI and coast to LOI constrained by Chinese ground station tracking windows).

 

[2hats]

Chang'e 5 well on the way now. LOI appears to a be around 1445UTC tomorrow (28 Nov). Landing attempt expected around 2030 UTC this Sunday (29 Nov). Sample (around 2kg) return to re-entry and recovery near Dorbod, Inner Mongolia, expected a little time after 1700UTC, 16 Dec. (The Chinese aren't inclined to publish official timelines, so these are all informed guesses).

China's Chang'e-5 Mission Launches to Collect Lunar Samples

After a 44-year hiatus, humans are on the verge of returning fresh material from the moon

www.scientificamerican.com

Spotted glinting (to around mag +8) yesterday evening from Chelmsford, about 350000km distant in the trans-lunar coast:
View attachment c5.mp4

 

[2hats]

Now in lunar orbit. Lander/ascent stage separated from orbiter/return vehicle:

Timelines now estimated to be:
Start of lander powered descent: 1458UTC 1 Dec
Landing: 1513UTC 1 Dec
Sample drilling: 1715-1945UTC 1 Dec
Scooping of lunar surface samples: 2114-1935UTC 1-2 Dec
Ascent stage launch: 1510UTC 3 Dec
Ascent stage/orbiter docking: 2140UTC 5 Dec
Return Capsule separation: 0435UTC 6Dec

 

[2hats]

Chang'e 5 touchdown just under 2 hours ago.

 

[WouldBe]

The moon's closed due to covid.

 

[2hats]

Drilling has apparently started.

 

[2hats]

Samples retrieved and loaded into the ascent stage, reportedly. Descent movie and high resolution surface imagery available...

 

[2hats]

Lunar sample being drilled and collected...


Ascent module launch earlier. Now in lunar orbit.

 

[2hats]

Panorama with scoop, illustrating sample area. Plus flag...

 

[Yossarian]

One of the most depressing photos I have ever seen.

 

[2hats]

Chang'e 5 lander spotted on the lunar surface by the LRO.

First Look: Chang'e 5

Box indicates Chang

lroc.sese.asu.edu

Ascent stage and orbiter/return vehicle now just a couple of minutes apart in orbit. Docking sequence due to start around 1814UTC tonight, leading to docking at 2140UTC and sample transfer at 2201UTC.

 

[2hats]

The ascent vehicle and orbiter docked, the sample has been transferred to the return capsule and the ascent vehicle has been jettisoned.

 

[2hats]

 

[2hats]

Return capsule now back on Earth with lunar samples.

 

[weltweit]

In that last picture it looks like the heat of re-entry may have been too much for the capsule.

 

[2hats]

Chang’e-6 touched down on the far side of the Moon last night.

China’s Chang’e-6 probe lands on far side of the moon aiming to return first samples to Earth

Spacecraft to collect samples from rarely explored area before attempting unprecedented liftoff from ‘dark side’ for trip home

www.theguardian.com

 

[2hats]

Rover deployed. Lunar surface samples collected overnight and those are now on their way back to Earth...

Lunar surface sampling:
View attachment lunarsurfacesample.mp4
Transfer of lunar sample to the ascent stage:
View attachment lunarsurfacesampletransfer.mp4
Ascent stage (returning samples) launch:
View attachment lunarascent.mp4

 

[weltweit]

Hmm. The Chinese have been busy.

I wonder if they are going to share any of the material they bring back?

 

[Steel Icarus]

Hmm. The Chinese have been busy.

I wonder if they are going to share any of the material they bring back?

With whom?
Doubt it, NASA don't do that

 

[moochedit]

With whom?
Doubt it, NASA don't do that

Small pieces have been given to other countries (although probably not big enough for scientific research i guess)

Lunar sample displays - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Yossarian]

I guess China now has a June 4 that people are allowed to remember

 

[2hats]

With whom?
Doubt it, NASA don't do that

Yes they do. Most sample return missions share material with bona fide institutes, PIs with a track record in the field, and reciprocate with other science agencies around the world (if there is sufficient material to spare), or otherwise facilitate access to samples for various research groups worldwide (eg travel and access to the storage and analysis lab of the sample collection home).

See also - past asteroid sample return missions - here for NASA's OSIRIS-REx, for example.

Likely the Chinese will open up access to international researchers after their own researchers have had 2-3 years to inspect the material (as they did with Chang'e 5).

 

[2hats]

Small pieces have been given to other countries (although probably not big enough for scientific research i guess)

Lunar sample displays - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The 'Goodwill' rocks were more than large enough for research purposes but never used for such (there are more pristine samples for such work, and sometimes only a little bit of dust, soil is needed). Many of them have gone walkabout over the years.

 

[weltweit]

Chang'e-6: China's space probe returns with rare Moon rocks

The Chang'e-6 has landed after collecting the first ever samples from the far side of the Moon.

www.bbc.co.uk

Great stuff