Ukususela ngo-1976, iisampulu zokuqala zelitye lenyanga ezibuyiselwe eMhlabeni ziye zafika. Ngomhla we-16 kweyoMnga, inqwelo-moya yaseTshayina iChang'e-5 yabuya neekhilogram ezimbini zezinto emva kokutyelela umphezulu wenyanga ngokukhawuleza.
I-E-5 yafika enyangeni ngomhla woku-1 kweyoMnga, yaza yaphinda yaphakama ngomhla wesi-3 kweyoMnga. Ixesha lesiphekepheke lifutshane kakhulu kuba sisebenza ngamandla elanga kwaye asinakumelana nobusuku obunamandla bokukhanya kwenyanga, obunobushushu obuphantsi njenge--173°C. Ikhalenda yenyanga ihlala malunga neentsuku ezili-14 zomhlaba.
“Njengososayensi wenyanga, oku kuyakhuthaza kakhulu kwaye ndiyavuya kuba sibuyele kumphezulu wenyanga okokuqala kwiminyaka ephantse ibe ngama-50,” utshilo uJessica Barnes weYunivesithi yaseArizona. Umsebenzi wokugqibela wokubuyisela iisampulu ezivela enyangeni yayiyiSoviet Luna 24 probe ngo-1976.
Emva kokuqokelela iisampulu ezimbini, thabatha isampulu enye emhlabeni, uze emva koko uthathe isampulu enye ukusuka malunga neemitha ezi-2 phantsi komhlaba, uze uzifake kwisithuthi esinyukayo, uze unyuke ukuze uphinde ujoyine umjikelo wesithuthi sothumo. Olu qokelelo lolokuqala ukuba iirobhothi ezimbini zikwazi ukumisa inqanawa ngokuzenzekelayo ngaphandle komjikelo woMhlaba.
Ikhaphu equlethe isampuli yadluliselwa kwinqwelo-moya ebuyayo, eyashiya umjikelezo wenyanga yaza yabuyela ekhaya. Xa iChang'e-5 yasondela emhlabeni, yakhupha ikhaphu, eyatsiba iphuma emoyeni ngexesha, njengelitye elitsiba phezu komphezulu wechibi, yehlisa isantya ngaphambi kokuba ingene emoyeni ize isebenzise iparashuti.
Ekugqibeleni, i-capsule yafika e-Inner Mongolia. Inxalenye yothuli lwenyanga iza kugcinwa kwiYunivesithi yaseHunan eChangsha, eTshayina, kwaye ezinye ziya kusasazwa kubaphandi ukuze bahlalutywe.
Olunye lolona hlalutyo lubalulekileyo oluza kwenziwa ngabaphandi kukulinganisa ubudala bamatye kwiisampuli kunye nendlela achaphazeleka ngayo yindawo ejikeleze isibhakabhaka ngokuhamba kwexesha. “Sicinga ukuba indawo apho iChang'e 5 yawela khona imele enye yezona ndawo zincinci kakhulu ze-lava kumphezulu wenyanga,” utshilo uBarnes. “Ukuba singayinciphisa ngcono iminyaka yale ndawo, singabeka imida engqongqo kubudala benkqubo yelanga yonke.”