Chang’e 5

The Chang'e 5 mission was a significant part of China's lunar exploration program, managed by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). Launched in November 2020, Chang'e 5's primary objective was to collect lunar samples and return them to Earth. It successfully landed on the Moon's Oceanus Procellarum and retrieved approximately 1.7 kg (60 ounces) of lunar rocks and soil. These samples were dated to be about two billion years old, making them the youngest lunar samples returned to Earth at that time. This mission was a crucial step in China's broader lunar ambitions, which include establishing a research station at the Moon's South Pole.123