China's earlier lunar surface vehicles, the Chang'e 3 and Chang'e 4 lander-rover duos, sported flags that were painted on. Chang'e 5 broke ground by carrying a real fabric flag to the moon's surface. 

The five-star red flag that unfolded in the form of a scroll is relatively flat and was designed to be wrinkle-proof, Chinese officials said.

The Chang'e 5 team spent more than a year selecting materials for the flag. A new type of composite material was chosen so that the five-star red flag can withstand the harsh environment of the moon and does not fade, color or deform.

"Although this is just a thin five-star red flag, it has a very high technological content," said Ma Wei, the commander of the five-star red flag display system project, according to CCTV.