22 October 2021
Tianwen 1 Mars orbiter has resumed communications with Earth after the solar conjunction and will start remote sensing of Mars and data relay for the Zhurong rover in early November, the CNSA announced on 22 October. Judging from telemetry, the orbiter was in normal condition during the solar conjunction. It is the first time that the orbiter successfully survived the solar conjunction.
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22 October 2021
The State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense announced a list of 17 research institutions that are to receive the second batch of lunar samples brought back by its Chang'e-5 mission. The newly distributed samples, weighing about 17.9 grams, will be divided into 51 lots and handed over to scientists from 17 research institutions - 16 from mainland China and one from Macau. According to the notice, the CNSA established a selection commission for the distribution of the samples earlier this month.
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20 October 2021
Leonard David summarises and explains the latest findings from the analysis of the lunar samples brought back to Earth by China’s Chang’e-5 lunar sample mission. The first batch of lunar soil samples were sent to 31 labs of 13 Chinese research institutions in July. Now, the first results are published and some conclusions are highly interesting.
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19 October 2021
During a press conference on 19 October at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, Li Xianhua, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) introduced an analysis of Moon rocks brought back to Earth by CE-5. Li Xianhua led a research team of that studied the lunar samples and dated the youngest rock on the Moon at around 2 billion years in age, extending the "life" of lunar volcanism 800-900 million years longer than previously known.
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Chinese, French scientists to conduct joint research on Chang'e-5 lunar samples
20 October 2021
Chinese space engineers have conducted the first ignition test of the most powerful solid-propellant rocket engine in the world, which will be used on new-generation rockets, according to the Academy of Aerospace Solid Propulsion Technology in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.
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some footage of the engine and hot fire test
19 October 2021
Deng Qingming, along with Li Qinglong, Wu Jie, Chen Quan, Zhao Chuandong and Pan Zhanchun, have dedicated over two decades of their life in regular training to ensure they would be ready at a moment's notice if the country called upon them, knowing their chances of taking part in a mission diminished every day as they aged. While most of them have since retired from active services and been transferred to support posts at the Astronaut Center of China, Deng Qingming has served as a backup space crew member for 23 years. He continues to stand ready at his post, available to join a mission at any time.
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