China's first dedicated asteroid mission |
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China's first dedicated asteroid mission |
 Dec 28 2012, 03:52 AM
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#1
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Junior Member  Group: Members Posts: 82 Joined: 12-October 05 From: Beijing Member No.: 526  |
http://wb.lzbs.com.cn/html/2012-12/27/content_420157.htm
China's first dedicated asteroid mission will be powered by xenon ion engine. The engine has successfully tested in orbit on Shijian-9 satellite on November 7, 2012. The probe will visit three asteroids: make a flyby of the first and take pictures, orbit the second, and land on the third. According to earlier reports, potential targets include 12711 Tukmit, 99942 Apophis and (175706) 1996 FG3. |
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Dec 28 2012, 07:17 AM
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#2
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 618 Joined: 13-February 10 From: Vancouver, British Columbia Member No.: 5221 |
Apophis? Wow! Are those asteroids listed in respective order to the objective or not? Because even a flyby would tell us loads in terms of hazard potential.
And 1993 FG3 is MarcoPolo's target too... Dual missions to one asteroid; what's not to like? -------------------- To a body of infinite size there can be ascribed neither centre nor boundary... Thus the Earth no more than any other world is at the centre. -Giordano Bruno, 1584.
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Dec 28 2012, 08:57 AM
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#3
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1146 Joined: 3-August 06 From: 43° 35' 53" N 1° 26' 35" E Member No.: 1004 |
does the article give any idea as of the timeline of the mission?
anyway, here is a paper (in Chinese) on the orbit design of a similar multi-target mission using ion propulsion to Nereus, Apophis and to 1999 JU3, the target of Hayabusa 2. the mission would launch in 2017 and reach 1999 JU3 in 2020. the mass of the spacecraft (1000 kg) would make it "launcheable" by a Long March 3A-class launcher Target analysis and low-thrust trajectory design of Chinese asteroid exploration mission -------------------- I'm one of the most durable and fervent advocates of space exploration, but my take is that we could do it robotically at far less cost and far greater quantity and quality of results.
James Van Allen |
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Dec 28 2012, 09:38 AM
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#4
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Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 82 Joined: 12-October 05 From: Beijing Member No.: 526 |
The article only gives the first use of the new ion engine in 2015. It is unknown whether the 2015 mission is the asteroid mission.
I have the full text of the paper you quoted which dated July 2011. But I think Ouyang Ziyuan's presentation matches the latest report better. It is also known that a meeting was held in May 2012 on the design of the asteroid mission. Based on all these info, I think we could have an estimated launch time between 2015 and 2017, a flyby of 12711 Tukmit in August 2018, and 99942 Apophis orbit insertion in April 2020, Apophis departure in September 2020, orbit and landing on 1996 FG3 August–December 2023. |
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 Jan 14 2013, 03:19 AM
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#5
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 1 Joined: 17-December 12 Member No.: 6791 |
As far as I know, officially, there is no timeline for an asteroid mission in China. But possible missions are now studied in universities and institutions. I'm also looking forward to this kind of mission.
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Jan 14 2013, 04:05 PM
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#6
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 119 Joined: 12-February 12 Member No.: 6336 |
Thank you Yaohua for this information. A proposal to get 3 asteroids visited with one mission could make that attractive that the proposal might get a go ahead.
 MOD NOTE: Follow-on discussion re multiple encounters moved here. |
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Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 23rd May 2013 - 07:39 AM |
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