China dodges speeding space junk bullet after Chang’e 5 moon mission

  • The Chinese space administration has gone to great lengths to avoid adding to the millions of pieces of debris in orbit
  • Ascent vehicle returns to the moon’s surface where it will pose no threat to future space missions

An artist’s rendering of the Chang'e 5 landing craft on the moon’s surface. Photo: DPA
China’s space administration has gone to great lengths to prevent its Chang’e 5 mission from contributing to the growing piles of orbital junk.

China said on Tuesday the Chang’e 5 ascent vehicle was instructed to land on a preset area of the moon’s surface. After departing the lunar orbit at 6.59am, the ascender landed about half an hour later near 0 degrees longitude and a latitude of 30 degrees south.

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