Chinese probe prepares to return moon rocks to Earth

The ascender of Chang’e-5 spacecraft blasts off from the moon surface (China National Space Administration/Xinhua/AP)

A Chinese probe that landed on the moon transferred rocks to an orbiter on Sunday in preparation for returning samples of the lunar surface to Earth for the first time in almost 45 years, the country’s space agency announced.

The ascent stage of the Chang’e spacecraft made the transfer after docking with the robot spacecraft orbiting the moon on Saturday night, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).