Probe will bring back moon rocks and soil

Chang'e 5, China's newest lunar probe, will bring 2 kilograms of lunar soil and rock samples back to Earth before the end of 2017, the project's chief said Thursday.

"The monthlong Chang'e 5 mission will be the most sophisticated lunar expedition China has ever made," Hu Hao, director of the national Lunar Exploration Center, told China Daily. "It will face a lot of challenges such as the great number of demanding maneuvers and the complicated condition of its landing site."

The center is under the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.