China’s Chang’e-5 probe returned to Earth on December 17, 2020, bringing with it 1,731 grams of lunar soil.
It was about 270 grams less than the objective, which according to Chinese scientists was mainly due to the much lower density of the lunar soil than according to data from the US and the former Soviet Union, who collected lunar samples in the 1960s and 1970s. Scientists said it does not mean that the previous data is wrong, since the Chinese probe collected samples at a different site.
The difference in soil density may provide evidence for the theory that the moon consists of debris from different celestial bodies after a planetoid hit the Earth.
According to the China National Space Administration, China will divide the lunar samples into three, for scientific research, public exhibition and sharing with other countries based on international rules.
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