Chang'e-5 will bring lunar samples back to Earth. What's the point of spending so much material resources?

The main purpose of going to the moon to collect soil samples is to make inferences through the evolution history of the moon and prepare for the earth to collect large amounts of lunar resources. At the same time, this will also become an important basis for future interstellar competition.

(1) Chang'e-5

The mission of Chang'e-5 is to collect dust and debris from a previously unexplored area on the far side of the moon and return it to Earth. Lunar scientists are eager to study the new samples because they can learn something about the Moon's evolution. The material could also help researchers more accurately date the surfaces of planets such as Mars and Mercury. ?The landing site was chosen extremely wisely. ?said geologist Harald Hiesinger from the University of Münster.

Scholars believe that the Chang'e-5 samples can fill an important gap in scientists' understanding of lunar volcanic activity. Rocks from previous U.S. and Soviet lunar missions suggest that volcanic activity on the moon peaked 3.5 billion years ago, then weakened and ceased. But observations of the lunar surface have found that some areas may contain volcanic lava that was formed only as recently as 1 billion to 2 billion years ago. If the samples from Chang'e-5 confirm that the moon was still active during this period, it will rewrite the history of the moon.

(2) Importance

In fact, if Chang'e-5 is successfully launched, it will bring us the following benefits.

First, our country has become one of the world’s aerospace powers. You know, the countries currently formulating moon landing plans include the United States, India, Israel, Japan, etc. Among them, the United States has successfully achieved the feat of manned landing on the moon, which is considered to be a major step for mankind to enter space. But the American manned moon landing has always been regarded as a "scene shot in a Hollywood studio". Therefore, the United States needs to return to the moon to prove its capabilities. However, due to the impact of the epidemic, this U.S. space program is feared to be shelved. Israel and India have launched their own lunar probes in the past two years, but neither of them succeeded. Japan's moon landing plan is still under preparation, and may also be put on hold due to lack of funds. China has full support in terms of technology and funds. Once China successfully launches Chang'e 5, it will definitely become one of the world's aerospace powers. Second, it demonstrates our country’s comprehensive national strength, enhances our national self-confidence and cohesion, and enhances our voice in the world. Aerospace science and technology is a display of a country’s comprehensive strength in science, technology, military, and economy. Our country has continuously completed the Chang'e series of detectors without a single accident, which fully demonstrates the qualitative improvement of our country's comprehensive national strength. At the same time, this move will greatly enhance the self-confidence and cohesion of the Chinese nation. And our country’s voice in the world will increase accordingly. Third, lay the foundation for future immigration of our country and mankind. You know, during the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union each collected some small soil samples from the moon. It has important scientific value for studying lunar resources. Experts point out that the earth's resources are increasingly depleted. Helium-3 on the moon can meet human energy needs for about 10,000 years after being used for nuclear fusion power generation. If Chang'e-5 collects samples, it will not only rewrite the history of the moon, but also lay the foundation for human immigration to the moon.