Chang'e-4 farside landing mission Options

[A.Nemo]

Preliminary Suggestions for International Cooperation on Chang'E-4 Lunar Probe
Xu Y. (China)
http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/pres/copuos2015/...2015tech08E.pdf

An Introduction of Chang’E-4 Probe:
Probe（Lander,Rover）+ Relay Statellite
Soft-landing on lunar farside
Landing and roving exploration
Will be launched between 2018 and 2019

the probe:
Chang’E-4 probe，lander and rover have the same technical status with the Chang’E -3; but exploration will be redesigned; the payload will be reconfigered; The name of the probe might be changed.
Chang’E-4 probe is a backup spacecraft of Chang’E -3 probe. By now, all platform products of the probe have been manufactured, waiting for further AIT.
The probe will be launched by a long March 3B rocket from the Xichang Statellite Launch Center(XSLC) which is the same way with the Chang'E-3 between 2018 and 2019

The relay statellite:
will be first launched into a lunar transfer orbit about the end of 2018 in the whole mission, then starts its earth-to-moon jurnery alone, and will enter and run in a Halo orbit around the Earth-Moon L2 point; the design life is 3 years.
would provide relay service for the probe and the Earth, and carry out exploration.

Engineering objectives are as follow.
To realize the first soft landing on the lunar farside and perform exploration in human history.
To demonstrate technologies of lunar data relay, landing and roving on complicated terrains of the lunar farside, and lunar night power generation;
To perform further detailed survey on lunar environment in order to lay a foundation for subsequent lunar exploration mission.

Tentative Scientific objectives are as follow.
To study lunar surface dust features and its formation mechanism;
To perform in-situ measurement of lunar surface residual magnetism
and study its interaction with solar wind;
To study lunar surface temperature and particle radiation environment;
To perform lunar surface topology and material composition analysis,
shallow-layer structure survey and study;
To explore and study lunar interior structure of spheres;
To perform lunar based VLF astronomical observation and study

[Hungry4info]

Seger Yu posted three new images from Yutu 2 from May/June 2023 showing the exploration of a crater. I've attached one here.
https://twitter.com/SegerYu/status/1703711405135016099

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[Phil Stooke]

The same Seger Yu posted a panorama in four segments here:

https://twitter.com/SegerYu/status/1731532837294358602

I put it together and made a circular view of it:





The closeup gives a good view of the tracks. This is on 19 September 2023, the end of lunar day 59, the same place where the latest map ends.

Phil

[Phil Stooke]

just keeping up to date... we are currently in lunar night 62 for Chang'e 4 and Yutu 2. Lunar day 63 starts on the 5th of January. No update since day 59.

Phil

[Phil Stooke]

Today, Jan. 3rd, is the 5th anniversary of the landing of Chang'e 4 and the deployment of Yutu 2.

Phil

[Phil Stooke]

https://wms.lroc.asu.edu/lroc/view_lroc/LRO...0/M1449162447RC

This link is to a newly-released LRO NAC image showing Yutu 2 on 12 September 2023, late morning on lunar day 59.

Here is a detail of it on my last map of the traverse:



The shadow lies to the south of the rover.

I have the feeling that the rover is only able to make one drive in the lunar morning and one in the afternoon at the moment, resulting in very slow progress over the past year. This is not because of any limitation of the rover (I think), but because Queqiao is very low on fuel and difficult to use effectively. China will launch its replacement as early as next month.

Phil

[John Moore]

Day 62 update...https://twitter.com/SegerYu/status/1764605778152116465...showing very nice rover tracks (credit:CAS/NAOC/GRAS).

John

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[Phil Stooke]

This Weibo post:

https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5009312298041360

contains partial panoramas for days 59, 60 and 62 (there were no images or moves on day 61). and two polar panoramas for days 60 and 62. The polar images are 6000+ pixels across and can be unwrapped very nicely to recreate the panoramas. I will post them later. Meanwhile Queqiao 2 is on its way to the Moon and I expect driving to speed up when it is operational.

Phil

[Phil Stooke]

Here is a circular panorama for Yutu 2's lunar day 60. If you compare this with the polar projection in the Weibo post, the difference between a polar projection and mine will be very apparent.

Phil

[Hungry4info]

Queqiao-2 has established contact with Chang'e 4 ... and apparently Chang'e 6 as well before the latter's launch.
https://twitter.com/wulei2020/status/1778599669746295292

[Phil Stooke]

Yes! I hope we will now see quite a bit more driving after a slow year.

Meanwhile, this is a circular version of the day 62 panorama mentioned above. I am exaggerating relief too much here - the panorama shouldn't come so close to the centre. I need to review the geometry.

Phil