Chang'e 5 sample return mission Options

[Paolo]

let's look at the bright side: maybe CE-4 will finally fly before CE-5

[Phil Stooke]

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/912197913995911168

Confirmation that the Chang'E 5 schedule will change, though no details of how. Other rumours suggest CE4 in 2018, CE5 in 2019, CE6 in 2020. Paolo - you may be right!

Phil

[Phil Stooke]

Chang'E 5 T1, the mission which tested the return capsule design for Chang'E 5, also imaged the CE5 landing area near Rumker - see a few posts above this for more details. This paper:

https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conferen...623.short?SSO=1

describes attempts to de-blur these images. (you can't get the paper without subscription, but you can get the abstract from that page).

This probably explains why so few images have been released. In any case, LRO images will be better and are freely available for the mission planners to use.

Phil

[Phil Stooke]

Confirmation CE5 T1 is still operating in lunar orbit:


https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php....msg1770545#new


Phil

[Steve G]

Update on the long March 5 failure and schedule for Chang'e 5

http://spacenews.com/china-reveals-cause-o...turn-to-flight/

[Huguet]

Let's hope they acelerate their program due to CE4 success.

"China to launch Chang'e 5 mission to moon by year-end (Chinadaily.com.cn) 15:32, January 14, 2019
Wu Yanhua, deputy head of the China National Space Administration said at a news conference Monday that the next step in China's lunar exploration program, the Chang'e 5 mission, will take place around the end of this year."

http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/0114/c90000-9537543.html

"Experts are still discussing and verifying the feasibility of subsequent projects, but it's confirmed that there will be another three missions after Chang'e 5," Wu Yanhua, deputy head of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), said at the press briefing.

"Chang'e 6 mission will be designed to bring samples back from the moon's south polar region. Chang'e 7 mission will carry out comprehensive surveys around the moon's south pole, including studying terrain and landforms, the physical composition as well as the space environment in the region.
Chang'e 8 mission, in addition to scientific surveys and experiments, will test key technologies to lay the groundwork for the construction of a science and research base on the moon"
Xinhua reported.

https://www.space.com/43000-china-moon-expl...earch-base.html

...waiting gladly for more info in the 3D Lunar Base printing idea to be tested on the new ce8 project... 3D lunar printing technology can be the huge paradigm break of the XXI century,.. starting printing lunar base body, and then print new space ship body parts?... ...the moon seens a good place to build factorys...

[SpaceListener]

Let's hope they acelerate their program due to CE4 success.
http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/0114/c90000-9537543.html

Not only depends upon to the success of CE4 but also of the third launch of Long March 5 by 2nd quarter 2019 launching a telecommunication satellite Shijian-20. The fourth Long March 5 will turn to CE5, hopefully, it will occur by December 2019.

[nogal]

Quote from the ESA "Beckoning Moon" post at http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/20.../Beckoning_Moon
"... later this year, ESA tracking stations will provide critical support to China's Chang'e-5 lunar sample return mission, providing communications just after launch and helping Chinese mission controllers determine the precise trajectory of the return capsule."
Fernando

[Thorsten Denk]

Long March 5 return to flight in July.
If all goes well, Cháng'é-5 at the end of the year.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-01/29/c_137784351.htm

Thorsten