Category Archives: Chang’e Program

Wednesday / 25 February 2015

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Lunar Science Talk Demonstrates
Value Of Moon Exploration

UAscience

Principal Investigator Of GRAIL Mission, Maria Zuber, Will Give Presentation On Recent Discoveries Concerning The Interior Of The Moon, Thurs 26 Feb At University Of Arizona; Host Of International Lunar Orbiters / Landers Continuing To Advance Understanding Of The History & Potential Future Significance Of Earth’s Closest Neighbor; Currently NASA Has 3 Spacecraft Orbiting Moon (LRO, ARTEMIS), China Currently Has An Orbiter (Chang’e-5 T1), Lander & Rover (Chang’e-3 / Yutu) At Moon

Image Credit: NASA, CNSA

Tuesday / 17 February 2015

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China Advancing Preparations For Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission

Chang'eLM5

Next Generation Heavy-Lift Rocket, Long March-5, Engines Pass Successful Ground Test According To SASTIND; First Test Flight Planned For 2016; Booster Able To Lift 25 Metric Tons To LEO, 14 To GTO, Key Element For Lunar Sample Return Mission Chang’e-5; Service Module Of Chang’e-5 T1 Mission Currently In Orbit Around Moon, Still Providing China Lunar Exploration Program With Opportunities To Prepare For Sample Return Including Recent Experiment To Test Orbital Operational Capabilities

Image Credit: CNSA, CCTV

 

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 February 2015

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China, Argentina Collaborating On Lunar Tracking Station

ArgChina0215

Argentina President Cristina Kirchner & China President Xi Jinping Sign Agreement Handing Control Of Tracking Station To China Authorities; Station Is Located In Neuquen, Argentina On 200 Hectare Parcel; China Leasing The Station For 50 Years, Station & Staff Ruled By Chinese Law; Space Antenna Expected To Begin Operations This Month, Will Be Used To Monitor & Receive Data For China Lunar Exploration Missions

Image Credit: CNSA, ferfal.blogspot.com

Wednesday / 14 January 2015

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China Service Module Back In Lunar Orbit, Preparing For CE-5 Sample Return Mission

ChinaServiceMod0115

Chang’e-5 T1 Service Module Enters 127-Minute, 200-Km Lunar Orbit After 2-Month Stay At L2 Lagrange Point; China Officials Will Utilize The Probe To Conduct Long-Range Guidance Tests For Lunar Orbit Rendezvous & Docking In Feb & Mar; Orbiter Will Image Projected 2017 Chang’e-5 Landing Site With Its Dual-Resolution Camera In Early April

Image Credit: CNSA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 9-12 January 2015

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China Advancing Space Program With New Launch Center / ‘Moonport’

WenchangSLC0115

Launching Of Space Station Capsules & Crewed Moon Missions From New Wenchang Satellite Launch Center “Just A Matter Of Time” According To China Officials; 19-Degree Latitude Will Increase Carrying Capacity Of Rockets By 10% & Island Location Will Allow For Easier Transport / Delivery Of The Larger Rockets / Payloads Needed For Country To Achieve Next Phase Of Ambitious Lunar Exploration Program; Site Will Host Huge Long March 9 Rocket, Expected To Be Ready By 2030; Chang’e-5 T1 Service Module Currently Returning To Lunar Orbit To Collect Data In Preparation For 2017 Chang’e-5 Sample Return 

Image Credit: Digital Globe, astronomy.wiki.com

Thursday / 8 January 2015

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Is Helium-3 Most Valuable Resource On Moon?

He3Change5

Projections Indicate Clean Fusion Technology Powered By Helium-3 Can Produce 18.4 MeV Of Energy, 1 Metric Ton Of The Rare Element Could Power Tokyo For 1 Year; Could Be Used To Propel Spaceships Facilitating Trips To Mars In <100 Days, Jupiter In <200 Days; Potential Fuel For Thermonuclear Weaponry Which Could Be Used To Protect Earth From Dangerous Asteroids; Speculation Abounds That Interest In He-3 Is Primary Driver Of China & Perhaps India Lunar Program, Next Step For China Is 2017 Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission

Pictured (TR): Chang’e-1-Produced Map Of He-3 Distribution On Nearside Moon

Image Credit: NAOC, ocw.mit.edu

 

Breaking News Special New Year Edition
Thursday / 1 January 2015

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Moon-Based Telescope Observation
Of M101 Spiral Is First Galaxy Imaged From The Moon

m101GalaxyFromMoon1214Great Astronomy From The Moon Potential Confirmed By China Chang’e-3 Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope LUT Observations On 2 December At Beginning Of Lunar Day 13; Iconic 2014 Photo To Be Refined Further By NAOC Astronomers In Beijing, In Collaboration With ILOA And UHH, CFHT Lunar Astronomy Team On Hawai`i Island USA, Introducing Bright, Robust New Year 2015

Image Credit: National Astronomical Observatories of China & International Lunar Observatory Association; University of Hawaii Hilo, Canada France Hawaii Telescope

Thursday / 11 December 2014

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China Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope Continues To Prove Value Of Astronomy From Moon

LUT1214

Now In Lunar Day 13, Approaching 1    Year Of Operations On Moon, Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) On Chang’e-3 Lander Still Providing Unprecedented Opportunities For Astronomical Observations; 150-mm Telescope Is First Long-Term Observatory To Take Advantage Of Thin Atmosphere, Slow Rotation Of Moon Which Allows Long-Duration Uninterrupted Observations Of Variable Stars, Galaxies, etc.; Attempting To Image Galaxy M101 As Part Of Collaboration / MOU With ILOA, ILOA Will Subsequently Provide Observation Time To NAOC / CNSA On Its Upcoming ILO-X Precursor & ILO-1 Polar Missions

Image Credit: NAOC, CNSA, ILOA

Tuesday / 2 December 2014

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China Places Lunar Orbiter Service Module At L2

ChinaServiceL2

Service Module Of Chang’e-5 Test Probe Successfully Arrives At The Earth-Moon 2nd Lagrange Point, 421,000 Km From Earth & 63,000 Km From Moon; Based On Design Of Chang’e-2 & 3, The Service Module Will Eventually Be Moved To Lunar Orbit To Verify Chang’e-5 Tasks Related To Flight Control Technology; State Administration Of Science, Technology & Industry For National Defense Reports That All Experiments Are Going Well

Image Credit: CNSA, NASA

Wednesday / 12 November 2014

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China: Space Dominance Or Key International Partner?

ChinaDominantCooperate

Noting Ambitious Series Of Lunar Missions – Chang’e-2 Elaborate Post-Moon Trajectory, Chang’e-3 Expansive Payload Capacity, Chang’e-5 Plans For Lunar Orbit Rendezvous – Paul Spudis Speculates That China Is Moving Ahead With Cislunar Space Dominance / Permanence / Control; Xu Dazhe, Head Of CNSA & China State Administration Of Science Technology & Industry For National Defense Says Country Welcomes International Colleagues To Join China Lunar Exploration Program; Buzz Aldrin Declares Cooperation With China Is Most Important Priority To Ensure USA Success In Space

Image Credit: Xinhua / Gin Ying, spudislunarresources.com, ama2007.com