China to the Moon - Chang'e 1 and 2, Chinese unmanned lunar orbiters |
China to the Moon - Chang'e 1 and 2, Chinese unmanned lunar orbiters |
Aug 24 2006, 05:03 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 124 Joined: 23-March 06 Member No.: 723 |
Lunar Programme To Be Open To World
Although China is still in the "initial stage" in tapping the moon and outer space when compared with the United States, Russia and Europe, the nation is catching up, Luan said. http://www.spacedaily.com/dragonspace.html The first phase of the Chang'e Project was solely accomplished by China through its own technology, products and designs, said Luan, former director of the China National Space Administration (CNSA). However, lunar scientists from Europe, the United States and Russia have expressed their willingness to co-operate with China in its research of the moon and deep space exploration, he said. Chinese scientists are assembling, integrating and testing to ensure that the mission of the nation's first lunar explorer, Chang'e-1, goes smoothly, a top space official said yesterday. http://english.people.com.cn/200607/26/eng...726_286707.html "Fundamental development has been achieved in all five related systems ranging from the satellite, the rocket, tracking and control, ground applications and the launch centre since it was approved two years ago," said Sun Laiyan, head of the China National Space Administration. The lunar orbiter is scheduled to blast off next year from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, Sun said at the ongoing eighth International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG) Conference in Beijing. The spacecraft will be 2350 kilograms in weight. According to the plan, the program will go through four phases. 1. Send a satellite to orbit the Moon 2. Conduct exploration on the surface of the moon through the soft landing of a detector. 3. Collect Moon surface samples using a robot, which will then return to the Earth. 4. Manned missions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang'e_program According to the schedule, detailed program design of the first step will be completed by September 2004. Research and development of a prototype probe and relevant testing of the probe will be finished before the end of 2005. Design, manufacture, general assembly, test and ground experiments of the lunar probe satellite will be finished before December 2006. In 2007 the Chang'e 1 will blast off. |
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Oct 24 2007, 01:00 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 124 Joined: 23-March 06 Member No.: 723 |
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5262
QUOTE By Rui C. Barbosa, 10/24/2007 5:08:55 AMAt the beginning of a 35 minute launch window that opened at 10:05 UTC, a CZ-3A Chang Zheng-3A (CZ3A-15) was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, located in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, carrying the first Chinese lunar probe, Chang'e-1 (ChangEr-1). .... After leaving Earth orbit on October 31, Chang'e-1 will initiate a five day journey until arrive into lunar orbit on November 5. The first image of the surface is expected at the end of November. Upcoming robotic Lunar landers and Sample returns ? QUOTE With this, China has three objectives: to orbit the Moon, to land on the Moon and to return a sample of the Moon. These objectives will be achieved by, firstly, to launch Chang'e-1 to orbit the Moon, secondly, to launch a spacecraft that will deploy a lunar lander to explore the lunar surface, and thirdly, to implement a sample return mission on the basis of the previous spacecraft. Details of Chang'e instruments and objectives QUOTE The scientific objectives of Chang'e-1 are to obtain three-dimensional images of the lunar surface, precisely ascertain the basic structures and physiognomy of the lunar surface, and to initially map out the lunar geology and structural elements to provide information for the follow-on soft landing. Objectives also include the ability to detect and analyze the content and distribution of useful elements and types of materials on the lunar surface; to detect the characteristics of lunar soil and calculate the depth of lunar soil on the surface; to explore the space environment between the earth and the moon, and to record initial solar wind data and study the effect of solar activities on earth-moon space environment. The Chinese probe is equipped with six payloads, with a total of 25 devices in eight instruments. These include and optical imaging system (CCD stereo camera and interferometer spectrometer imager), laser altimeter, Gamma and X-Ray spectrometers, Microwave detector, a space environment monitoring system (with a high-energy solar particle detector and a low-energy ion detector), and a system for the payload data management. To achieve all its objectives, the Chang'e-1 will have to be manoeuvred to a specific orbital path around the Moon. The probe will achieve a low lunar polar orbit within altitudes of 100 km to 200 km. There is also talk of a new line of Heavy Lift Rockets. Might not be long before we see some manned circumlunar flight in the Shenzhou, I wonder if they will be reading from Genesis or Leon Trotskiy's books ? |
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