嫦娥5號探測器今年將帶回月球土壤

China's unmanned lunar probe Chang'e-5, set to be launched around December 2017, will bring lunar soil samples back to Earth, says Wu Yanhua, deputy chief of the China National Space Administration.

國家航天局副局長吳豔華近日表示，我國將於2017年12月前後發射嫦娥五號無人月球探測器，嫦娥五號將攜月球土壤樣品返回地球。

The just-concluded Chang'e-3 mission marked the completion of the second phase of China's lunar program, which included orbiting and landing on the moon and returning to Earth.

剛剛結束的嫦娥三號任務標誌着中國探月計劃第二階段的完成，這一階段包括在月球軌道上運行、登陸月球以及返回地球。

The third phase, which includes unmanned sampling before returning to Earth, will follow the launch of Chang'e-5.

而探月計劃的第三階段，其中包括在返回地球之前的無人採樣，將通過發射嫦娥五號來完成。

According to Ye Peijian, an expert with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Fifth Research Academy, Chang'e-5 will consist of the orbiter, the return vehicle, the ascender and the lander.

據中國航天科技集團公司第五研究院專家葉培建表示，嫦娥五號探測器是由軌道器、返回器、上升器、着陸器等多個部分組成。

The orbiter and return vehicle will orbit the moon, while the lander and ascender will land on the moon.

軌道器和返回器將繞月運行，而上升器和着陸器則將登陸月球。

Hu Hao, the chief designer of the third phase of China's lunar program, said Chang'e-5 weighs 8.2 tons and will be launched by the carrier rocket Long March 5.

據中國探月工程三期總設計師胡浩介紹，嫦娥五號重達8.2噸，將由長征五號運載火箭發射。

The mission is expected to achieve four firsts for China since the country initiated its space exploration programs: first unmanned sampling, first takeoff from the moon's surface, first unmanned docking on the moon orbiting 380,000 km from Earth, and first return to Earth with lunar soil samples at a speed close to the escape velocity.

此次任務有望實現我國開展太空探索工程以來的四個"首次"：首次自動採樣；首次從月面起飛；首次在距地38萬公里外的月球軌道上進行無人交會對接；首次帶着月壤樣品以接近第二宇宙速度返回地球。