Sciences

China takes giant steps towards the Moon

Beijing, Jan 21 (EFE).- Named after a goddess who lives on the moon according to Chinese mythology, Beijing's Chang'e lunar mission took a major step forward in December after landing on the moon and bringing back samples of lunar rock, with authorities promising to share them with scientists from other countries.The unmanned space probe Chang'e 5 returned to earth on Dec. 17 with nearly two kilograms of lunar samples, making China the third country to complete this feat after the United States and the former Soviet Union, which was the last to accomplish it in 1976. (Camera: JESUS CENTENO).SHOT LIST: A SPACE EXPLORATION EVENT IN BEIJING, CHINA. SOUND BITE: PEI ZHAOYU, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE LUNAR EXPLORATION AND SPACE PROGRAM CENTER OF THE CHINA NATIONAL SPACE ADMINISTRATION (IN MANDARIN).TRANSLATION:- We have mastered the main technologies of lunar exploration and we will continue to carry out lunar exploration in the future. Our idea is to make this exploration more and more open as well as promote cooperation between countries. Foreign scientists will be able to study our samples.- 80 percent of the lunar samples we brought back will be used for scientific research. The remaining 20 percent will be permanently stored."- It is true that the United States and the Soviet Union achieved brilliant results in their exploration programs, but if the other countries do not explore, we would always be at the expense of listening to what others are saying.