Chang'e 5 makes first step in journey home

月球上亮出五星红旗！

A Chinese spacecraft carrying the country's first lunar samples blasted off from the moon late Thursday, the China National Space Administration announced.

中国国家航天局宣布，一艘载有中国首个月球样本的航天器于12月3日晚些时候从月球发射升空。

This represented the first-ever Chinese spacecraft to take off from an extraterrestrial body.

这是中国首次实现地外天体起飞。

China's Chang'e-5 probe, comprising an orbiter, a lander, an ascender and a returner, was launched on Nov 24, and its lander-ascender combination touched down on the north of the Mons Rumker in Oceanus Procellarum, also known as the Ocean of Storms, on the near side of the moon on Dec 1.

中国的嫦娥五号探测器包括轨道器、着陆器、上升器、返回器四个部分，于11月24日发射，着陆器和上升器组合体于12月1日平稳着陆于月球正面的风暴洋北部吕姆克山脉附近。

Before the ascender was launched, the lander-ascender combination erected a small Chinese national flag to honor the country, the administration said.

在上升器发射之前，嫦娥五号着上组合体竖起一面中国国旗以示敬意。

After the samples were collected and sealed, the ascender of Chang'e-5 took off from the lunar surface, and is expected to complete unmanned rendezvous and docking with the orbiter-returner in lunar orbit, an unprecedented feat.

样品收集密封后，嫦娥五号的上升器从月球表面起飞，预计将在月球轨道上与轨道返回器完成无人交会对接，这是一项前所未有的壮举。