While the Chang’e 5-T1 mission, launched on 23 October 2014, was mainly about successfully returning a capsule to Earth to test out re-entry guidance and thermal protection technologies (which it did), it has been revealed that the service module of the mission, which is based on a CAST-built DFH-3A spacecraft, has had an extra lease of life and been moved onto L2.
Specifically, as the main mission flew past the moon on its flyby, the service module detached on its one month journey to the L2 Lagrangian point behind the moon where the Earth’s and Lunar gravitational fields are at equilibrium. On 28 November, the Chang’e 5-T1 service module successfully reached the L2 Lagrangian position. Its earlier Chang’e 2 mission was sent there in 2011, and was then sent onward to visit a passing asteroid Toutalis in 2012.
