Kusukela ngo-1976, amasampula okuqala edwala lenyanga abuyiselwe eMhlabeni afike. Ngomhlaka-16 Disemba, indizamkhathi yaseShayina i-Chang'e-5 yaletha cishe amakhilogremu amabili ezinto ngemuva kokuvakashela ngokushesha ebusweni benyanga.
I-E-5 yafika enyangeni ngoDisemba 1, yaphinde yaphakanyiswa ngoDisemba 3. Isikhathi salo mkhathi sifushane kakhulu ngoba unamandla elanga futhi awukwazi ukumelana nobusuku obunamandla bokukhanya kwenyanga, obunezinga lokushisa eliphansi njengo--173°C. Ikhalenda lenyanga lihlala cishe izinsuku ezingu-14 zomhlaba.
“Njengososayensi wenyanga, lokhu kuyakhuthaza ngempela futhi ngikhululekile ukuthi sesibuyele ebusweni benyanga okokuqala ngqa eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-50,” kusho uJessica Barnes wase-University of Arizona. Umsebenzi wokugcina wokubuyisa amasampula avela enyangeni kwakuyi-Soviet Luna 24 probe ngo-1976.
Ngemva kokuqoqa amasampula amabili, thatha isampula elilodwa phansi, bese uthatha isampula elilodwa ukusuka cishe kumamitha amabili ngaphansi komhlaba, bese uwafaka emotweni ekhuphukayo, bese usuka ukuze ujoyine umjikelezo wemoto yokuthunyelwa. Lokhu kuqoqwa kungokokuqala ukuthi imikhumbi-mkhathi emibili yamarobhothi ibe nezindawo zokupaka ezizenzakalelayo ngokuphelele ngaphandle komjikelezo woMhlaba.
I-capsule equkethe isampula yadluliselwa emkhathini obuyayo, owashiya umjikelezo wenyanga wabuyela ekhaya. Lapho i-Chang'e-5 isondela emhlabeni, yakhipha i-capsule, eyagxuma emoyeni ngesikhathi, njengetshe eligxuma phezu kwechibi, yehlisa ijubane ngaphambi kokungena emoyeni futhi isebenzise iparashuti.
Ekugcineni, i-capsule yafika e-Inner Mongolia. Olunye uthuli lwenyanga luzogcinwa eHunan University eChangsha, eShayina, kanti olusele luzosatshalaliswa kubacwaningi ukuze baluhlaziye.
Enye yezindlela ezibaluleke kakhulu abacwaningi abazoyenza ukukala ubudala bamatshe kumasampula nokuthi athinteka kanjani yindawo ezungezile ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. “Sicabanga ukuthi indawo lapho i-Chang'e 5 yafika khona imelela enye yezindawo ezincane kakhulu ezigeleza i-lava ebusweni benyanga,” kusho uBarnes. “Uma singayinciphisa kangcono iminyaka yendawo, khona-ke singabeka imingcele eqinile eminyakeni yesimiso sonke selanga.”