China plans to launch its first recoverable moon orbiter later this year.

China's State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense said the orbiter was transported to the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Aug. 10.

The orbiter is expected to travel to the moon and back. Its goal will be to test vital technologies for its future moon missions, including the recovery of soil samples from the lunar surface, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Like Us on Facebook

The most significant part of the mission will take place after the orbiter returns. The recoverable orbiter is regarded as the forerunner for Chang'e-5, China's next major mission in the moon.

Reports have surfaced that the main goal of China's moon mission is to mine deposits of Helium 3, which is thought could fuel future nuclear fusion power plants.

China has already started its extensive exploration of the moon, sending orbiters, landers and rovers to examine the lunar surface.

According to Xinhua, the Chang'e-5 mission will be more sophisticated and technologically advanced.

It will include a takeoff to the moon's surface, sampling encapsulation, docking in lunar orbit and a high-speed re-entry to Earth.

Chang'e-5 is expected to launch in 2017. The lander is capable of carrying up to two kilograms of soil samples from the moon back to the Earth.

On October 24, 2007, Chang'e-1 was launched on a Long March 3C carrier rocket.

It scanned the moon and provided data for a high definition three-dimensional map, which serves as current landing reference. The craft also examined the abundance of various chemical elements on the moon to evaluate potential useful resources.

Chang'e-2 was launched on October 1, 2010 and surveyed the moon in even greater detail.

The third Chang'e mission landed a rover named Yutu on the moon on December 2, 2013. But due to a mechanical defect, Yutu failed last January. It's believed Yutu can still provide return data.

Chang'e-4 was a backup for Chang'e-3. It tested equipment for succeeding missions.

TagsState Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND), Xinhua News Agency, Chang'e-5, Chang'e-1, Chang'e-2, Chang'e-4, Chang'e-3