China has outlined plans for an upcoming flight to the Moon, The Guardian reports:
The spacecraft will consist of four distinct parts: a lander and an ascender, an orbiter and a returner. The lander will descend to the surface of the Moon, collect the samples and place them in the ascender. This will launch and rendezvous with the orbiter and returner, all of which will then journey back towards Earth.
The samples will be transferred to the returner, which will detach from the orbiter and re-enter the Earth's atmosphere.
Chang'e-5 is expected to be launched in November 2017.
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 26 2017, @11:15AM
The Moon will become the new South China Sea. Bet on it.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 26 2017, @04:35PM
Yes, the treaties that end WW3 will give China the moon, just like the treaties that ended WW2 gave China all the islands of the South China Sea.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 26 2017, @05:10PM
No problem. The treaties that end WW III will be signed by microbes, if any survive.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 26 2017, @05:12PM
[citation needed]