Category Archives: Chang’e-4

Friday / 8 Feb 2019

Posted on by

CNSA-NASA First Lunar Collaboration Could Initiate Future Breakthroughs

USA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) In Eccentric Polar Mapping Orbit (20-km Altitude South Pole, 165-km North Pole) Since 2015, Captures Image Of China Chang’e-4 On Moon Far Side In Von Kármán Crater On 30 Jan 2019; Information Sharing Between The 2 Countries Amidst Restrictions Highlights Potential To Expand Upon Mutually Beneficial Cooperation, Combine 21st Century Technologies Of Leading Spacefaring Nations – Both Of Which Plan Human Moon Missions, Lunar Bases

Pictured: NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and CNSA Administrator Zhang Kejian 

Credits: NASA, GSFC, Arizona State University, CNSA, NAOC-CSA

Tuesday / 29 Jan 2019

Posted on by

Chang’e-4 Planned For Lunar Dawn Of Operations

Following Local Lunar Sunrise Chang’e-4 Is Expected To Resume Full Operation 29 January;  Critical Chang’e-4 Camera Pointing System Designed By Yung Kai-Leung (L) Of Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Wu Bo (R) Of University Geo-Informatics Dept Helps Select Landing Site In Von Karman Crater; NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Will Image Chang’e-4 Landing Site On 31 Jan; As Lunar New Year Approaches On 5 Feb, CNSA Has Two Successful Satellite Launches So Far In 2019; Long March 5 Booster Expected To Launch In Spring 2019 And Carry Chang’e-5 By December

Credits: CNSA, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Tuesday / 22 Jan 2019

Posted on by

USA / PRC Moon Collaboration To Be Discussed At UN Vienna Mid-Feb

NASA Headed By Jim Bridenstine (L), Will Work With China On Lunar Landing Research Following Discussions With CNSA, Headed By Zhang Kejian (R); NASA Scientists Are Exchanging Data With Chang’e-4 Science Team; Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Expected To Image Chang’e-4 Landing Site On 31 January; Lunar Data Will Be Shared With Global Research Community At Scientific And Technology Subcommittee Of UN Committee On Peaceful Uses Of Outer Space In Vienna 11-22 Feb; NASA Cooperation With CNSA To Be Transparent, Reciprocal And Mutually Beneficial

Credits: NASA, CNSA

Tuesday / 15 Jan 2019

Posted on by

China Announces Exploration Program With Chang’e-6, 7 And 8

While Chang’e-4 (L) Will Measure Temperatures During The 14-Day Lunar Night, China CNSA Officially Announces More Moon Missions; Long March 5 Booster (R) Will Return To Flight NET 31 March With Launch Of Shijian-20 Communications Platform From Wenchang Satellite Launch Center On Hainan Island; Chang’e-5 Sample Return Launch On Long March 5 From Wenchang Is Planned Before End Of 2019; Chang’e-6 Is Slated To Return Samples From Lunar South Pole; Chang’e-7 Will Tentatively Conduct Survey Of South Polar Region; Chang’e-8 Will Test Technologies For Lunar Base And Future Human Activities On Moon

Credits: CNSA

Friday / 11 Jan 2019

Posted on by

Chang’e-4 International Science Operations Continue, Lander And Rover Prepare For First Lunar Night

China Chang’e-4 Moon Far Side Mission Comprised Of Lander, Yutu-2 Rover, Queqiao Relay Satellite And Longjiang-2 Microsatellite Operating Nominally With Confirmation Of International Payloads Functioning Including Germany Neutron Radiation Detector (LDN) On Lander, Sweden Neutral Atom Detector (ASAN) On Rover, Saudi Arabia Camera Aboard Longjiang-2; Netherlands-China Low-Frequency Explorer (NCLE) On Queqiao To Begin Collecting Data In ~March After Primary CE-4 Mission Objectives Complete; First Lunar Night Begins 12 Jan, Rover To Lie Dormant While Limited Science Performed By Lander 

Credits: CNSA, CAS, NAOC, CCTV, Harbin Institute of Technology, ASTRON, Radboud Univ., Kiel University, Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF), Xinhua, KACST

Tuesday / 8 Jan 2019

Posted on by

Space Cooperation Advocated For Benefit Of Mankind And Womankind

As Chang’e-4 And Yutu-2 Rover Explore Von Karman Crater On Far Side Of Moon, China Daily Editorial Describes “Exploring Outer Space For Benefit Of Mankind” And For Peaceful Purposes; Editor of NASA Watch Suggests Rules On Cooperation Can Be Softened; USA Offers To Aid China With Data From Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter; NASA Lunar Scientists Have Independently Pinpointed Chang’e-4 At 45.47084° S By 177.60563° E; Russia Provides Radioisotopes For Chang’e-4 Power Source; Sweden, Germany And Netherlands Also Contribute To Mission; China Invites International Partners For Upcoming Space Station

Credits: CNSA,NASA, Arizona State University

Friday / 4 Jan 2019

Posted on by

2019 Begins With First-Ever Landing On Lunar Far Side

50th Observation Of Year Of Apollo Lunar Landings Begins With New Horizons Flyby Of Ultima Thule And China Chang’e-4 Landing On Far Side Of Moon; 1200 Kg Lander Touches Down At Von Karman Carter Within South Pole-Aitken Basin; Landing On Lunar Far Side Is Long-Term Goal Advocated By Apollo 17 Astronaut Harrison Schmitt; India Chandrayaan-2 Aims For Early Feb 2019 Launch To South Polar Region; Israel SpaceIL Aims For NET 13 Feb Lunar Launch On SpaceX Falcon 9; Chang’e-5 Scheduled For Dec 2019 Subject To Availability Of Long March 5 Booster

Credits: CNSA, China Daily, ISRO

New Year 2019 Edition
Fri-Thur / 21 Dec 2018 – 3 Jan 2019

Posted on by

2019 Could Be Historic Year For Lunar Landings

21-27 December Is 50th Observation Of Apollo 8 Mission; China Chang’e-4 Attempts Historic First Landing On Far Half Of Moon Targeting 187 Km Von Kármán Crater In South Pole-Aitken Basin; Lunar Dawn At Crater Illuminates Optimal Landing Date Of 3 Jan, Providing 2 Earth-Weeks Of Uninterrupted Light And Solar Power; Queqiao Orbiter Provides Radio Relay To Far Half Of Moon And Carries Netherlands-China NCLE Experiment; Chang’e-3 Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) Is Still Operational On Surface, Powering Down To Avoid Radio Interference With Chang’e-4; 2019 Will See 50th Observation Of Apollo 9-12

Credits: NASA, CNSA

Friday / 14 Dec 2018

Posted on by

Chang’e-3 Enters 6th Year Of Operations, ‘Twin’ Chang’e-4 In Lunar Orbit To Land Far Side Early Jan 2019

China Chang’e-3, In Lunar Day 62, Begins 6th Year Of Operations 14 December At Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium, 44.12°N, 19.51°W; LUT Instrument Reportedly Working, Powered By RTG And Solar Panels; Chang’e-4 Lander And Rover In Elliptical Lunar Orbit With Perilune At ~100 km, Will Have Queqiao Relay Satellite Communications Link Tested Before Landing In Very Early January 2019 At Von Kármán Crater / South Pole-Aitken Basin About 46°S, 177°E; Lander Carries Low Frequency Spectrometer And Lunar Lander Neutrons & Dosimetry Experiment, Queqiao Equipped With NCLE Low-Frequency Pathfinder To Detect Cosmic Dark Ages Radio Signals

Pictured: CNSA Administrator Zhang Kejian; Credits: CNSA, CAS, NAOC, CAST, NASA, GSFC, DLR, ASU, LRO

Friday / 7 Dec 2018

Posted on by

International Lunar Missions Featured At Galaxy Forum China 2018: Beijing On Eve Of CE-4 Launch

As China Counts Down To Chang’e-4 Launch On 8 December At 02:15 Local Time To Lunar Farside, Galaxy Forum Meets At NAOC In Beijing 7 Dec; Themes Are International Human Moon Missions And Astronomy From The Moon; Opening Address Given By Yang Liwei (L) First China Astronaut; Europe Perspective Delivered By Christian Feichtinger Of International Astronautical Federation, Followed By Dong Nengli Of China Manned Space Agency; International Lunar Observatory Association Presents Plans For Telescope And First Women On Moon; Participants Describe Thailand Astronomy, India LUCI Telescope, South Korea Astronomy And First Lunar Mission

Credits: CNSA, ILOA, China News Service, NAOC