Chang'e 5 returns home with lunar samples

The lander also unfurled the first free-standing Chinese national flag on the moon.

The ascender activated an engine late on Dec 3 to lift itself into an elliptical lunar orbit to prepare for docking with the reentry capsule, marking the first time a Chinese spacecraft has blasted off from an extraterrestrial body.

It rendezvoused and docked with the orbiting combination early on Dec 6 and transferred lunar samples into the reentry capsule. The ascender separated from the combination later that day and was commanded to impact on the moon on Dec 8.

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