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Events on Wednesday 16 December 2020 1
2020Chang'e 5 returns lunar samples to EarthChina's mission brings back first new Moon rocks since 1976China's Chang'e 5 probe launched on 23 November 2020 and returned to Earth on 16 December 2020 carrying nearly two kilograms of lunar samples, the first fresh Moon rocks retrieved since the Soviet Luna 24 mission in 1976. The mission made China only the third country to achieve a lunar sample return.