The Chang'e- 5 mission to return samples of soil and rocks from the Moon is under way, following its launch on a Long March 5B heavy lift rocket. This sample return mission is the final and most complex of the six missions in the lunar exploration program that Chinese scientists developed 20 years ago.

嫦娥五号探测器由长征五号遥五运载火箭发射升空，并将从月球表面采集和运回土壤和岩石样品。20年前中国科学家制定的月球探测计划包含6次任务，此次采样返回任务是最后一次，也是最复杂的一次。

The scientists are able to carry out programs over decades because they are a key part of the economic fabric of Chinese society, particularly with the present orientation toward an innovation-driven economy.

科学家们之所以能够开展长达几十年的项目，是因为它们是中国社会经济体系的重要组成部分，在当前创新驱动型经济的大背景下尤其如此。

Chang'e-1 and 2 were each single-spacecraft, which orbited the Moon. Their job was to provide scientists with photographs of the surface to be used in future missions to choose suitable landing spots.

嫦娥一号和二号都是绕月飞行的单体航天器。它们的工作是向科学家提供月球表面的照片，为将来的探月任务选择合适的着陆点。

Chang'e-3 was followed by children as well as by adults, especially curious about the exploits of the rover Yutu. Chang'e-4 for the first time in history landed on the far side of the Moon. A relay satellite was needed to allow communication between Chang'e-4 and Earth.

嫦娥三号不仅吸引了成年人的关注，也受到孩子们的追捧，他们对“玉兔”号月球车的探索发现感到特别好奇。嫦娥四号有史以来首次在月球背面着陆，并通过一颗中继卫星来实现与地球之间的通信。

Chang'e-5 is still more complex. The goal of the mission is to bring at least 2 kilograms of rocks and soil from the Moon. There will also be a few locations where a drill will go down deeper and retrieve soil. Ye Peijian, the chief designer of Chang'e-1, notes: "Chang'e-5 will also carry a drilling machine to get Moon rock from a depth of 2 meters underground." Ye also revealed that experts from Hong Kong SAR and Macao SARwould also participate in the lunar probe project.

嫦娥五号是更加复杂的航天器系统。这次任务的目标是从月球上带回至少2公斤的岩石和土壤，并在部分地点深入打钻以获取土壤样本。嫦娥一号总设计师叶培建指出，嫦娥五号还将携带钻机，从地下2米处挖取月岩。叶培建还透露，中国香港和中国澳门的专家也将参与此次探月工程。

The biggest challenge in the mission is to bring back the samples to Earth. To do this requires four vehicles, a service module, a return vehicle, the lander, and the ascent vehicle. The Chang'e-5 orbiter carries the collection hardware and the return vehicle. After the robotic lunar lander collects samples, they are placed in an ascent vehicle which will launch from the lunar surface and must rendezvous and dock with the orbiter. No other sample return mission by the Soviet Union did any robotic rendezvous and docking. This requires highly precise timing. If the orbiter or the ascent vehicle were off by a small amount, they would miss rendezvous with the orbiter. When the orbiter gets close to the Earth, the capsule with the samples will be released to land in the same region where the Shenzhou astronauts land.

此次任务最大的挑战在于将样本带回地球。为此，飞行器需要包括以下四个部分：轨道器、返回器、着陆器、上升器。嫦娥五号轨道器搭载采样硬件和返回器。自动月球着陆器采集样本后，将样本放入上升器中。然后上升器从月球表面发射，并与轨道器交会对接。苏联的样品返回任务都未能实现无人交会和对接，因为这需要高度精确的时机把握。如果轨道器和上升器之间稍有偏离，那么上升器就会错过与轨道器的会合时机。当轨道器接近地球时，装有样品的太空舱将被弹出，降落在神舟飞船航天员的着陆点附近。

When the samples come back they will undergo thorough study. Lunar soil is formed by the lunar rock which has been weathered by meteorite impact, solar wind bombardment and cosmic ray radiation. By studying these lunar soil materials, scientists can not only understand the geological evolution of the Moon, but will also provide them with greater understanding of solar activities.

工作人员将对运回的样品进行细致的研究。月球土壤由月球岩石经过陨石撞击、太阳风轰击和宇宙射线辐射后形成。通过研究这些月壤样本，科学家们不仅可以了解月球的地质演化，还可以对太阳活动有更深入的了解。

This effort will be of immense benefit for mankind. Space exploration has always provided the "new frontier" of science ever since Sputnik and the U.S. Apollo program. Unfortunately, because of the intense media hype in the West about the "China threat," cooperation between the U.S. and China in manned space has come to a halt. And most recently the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission in a report, "China's Space and Counterspace Capabilities and Activities," wants to place even further restrictions on such cooperation.

这项工作将为人类带来巨大的利益。自苏联发射人造卫星和美国阿波罗计划以来，太空探索一直是科学的“最新前沿领域”。遗憾的是，由于西方媒体大肆宣扬“中国威胁论”，中美两国在载人航天方面的合作陷入停滞。而最近美中经济与安全评估委员会在一份题为《中国太空和反太空能力与活动》的报告中表示，希望对这方面的合作施加进一步的限制。

Many U.S. analysts find this terribly short-sighted. China military analyst Joan Johnson-Freese notes that "Ham-fisted U.S. policy has proven counterproductive in the past, and will continue to do so in the future." Nevertheless, with the change of administrations there may be a rethinking of our overall policy toward China. One would hope that it also involves a rethinking of our refusal to cooperate with China in space. It is in space exploration that the future for mankind lies.

许多美国分析人士认为这种观点非常短视。中国军事分析师琼•约翰逊•弗里兹指出：“事实证明，美国拙劣的制华政策在过去适得其反，今后也会继续如此。”虽说如此，随着政府换届，美国执政者可能会重新审视整体的对华政策。人们希望，美国政府也能重新审视对华太空合作方面的问题，因为太空探索能够成就人类的未来。