Category Archives: China

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 June 2018

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Chang’e-4 Relay Satellite Enters Intended Orbit, Prepares For Upcoming Mission

China Relay Satellite Queqiao Successfully Reaches Halo Orbit Around Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 2, Will Undergo Orbit Maintenance Every 7 Days, Equipped With NCLE Low-Frequency Pathfinder To Detect Cosmic Dark Ages Radio Signals, Will Act As Communication Relay For Chang’e-4 Lander & Rover Mission Planned Nov-Dec Launch To South Pole Aitken Basin / Von Kármán Crater; Microsatellite Longjiang-2 Operates In Lunar Orbit, Transmits Far Side Pictures Using Saudi Arabia Optical Camera; NAOC Prof Ping Jinsong Mentions Feasibility Of Flying Near-Future Low Cost Lunar Constellation

Credits: CNSA, CLEP, KASCST, NAOC, CAS, Planetary Society, NCLE, ASTRON

Wednesday / 6 Jun 2018

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Netherlands-China Low-Frequency Explorer Team Looks Forward To Studying Cosmic Dark Ages From Behind The Moon

Recently Launched Queqiao Relay Satellite For Future Chang’e-4 Lunar Far Side Lander Carries NCLE Instrument On Its Backside – With Three Deployable 5-m Monopole Antennas To Measure Radio Waves Below 30 MHz; Chang’e-4 Expected To Land By End Of 2018; NCLE Antennas To Unfold After Chang’e-4 Primary Mission Completes Around March 2019; Principal Investigator Heino Falcke From Netherlands Radboud University Presents “Radio Astronomy On And Around The Moon” At Ongoing American Astronomical Society 232nd Meeting In Denver, USA

Credits: CAST, NCLE, AAS, ASTRON, Heino Falcke

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 May 2018

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Chang’e-4 Relay To Attempt Detection Of Radio Signals From Cosmic Dark Ages

China To Launch Long March 4C / Chang’e-4 Relay From Xichang 20 May, Precursor For November Moon South Pole Lander; Loft 2 Microsatellites To Lunar Orbit For Low Frequency Radio Astronomy & Interferometry, And Relay Satellite (Queqiao) To L2 Which Carries Netherlands-China Low Frequency Explorer (NCLE) Pathfinder; NCLE Scheduled To Unspool Three 2-meter Antennas March 2019, Detect Radio Signals Pre-First Stars, Study Solar Flares & Jupiter Aurora; NCLE PI Heino Falcke Advocates For Radio Astronomy From Moon

Credits: CNSA, NASA, Radboud University, ASTRON Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

Friday / 27 Apr 2018

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China Planning Next Phase Of Astronomy From The Moon With Multipayload Launch May-June

Advanced Lunar Orbiter Queqiao “Bridge Of Magpies” Set To Launch May Or June To Earth-Moon Lagrange Point L2 To Support Chang’e-4 Lander / Rover Mission On Moon Far Side, South Pole / Aitken Basin NET November; Orbiter Launching Via Long March 4C With 2 Microsatellites DSLWP A1 and A2  (Longjiang 1 & 2) Weighing 45 kg Each, Intended For 200 x 9,000-km Lunar Orbit For Low Frequency (1-30 MHz) Radio Astronomy & Interferometry To Observe Energetic Phenomena From Celestial Sources; Will Take Advantage Of Lack Of Atmosphere, Moon Ability To Shield Radio Interference From Earth

Credits: Harbin Institute of Technology, CAST, CCTV / Framegrab, CAS, NAOC, NASA

Wednesday / 25 Apr 2018

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China Solicits Ideas For Human Moon Landers From All Its Citizens

China Manned Space Engineering Office, Headed By 1st China Astronaut Yang Liwei (TR), Launches Contest To Find Creative Schemes For Vehicle To Land Humans On Moon And Ascend Back; Chief Engineer Zhou Jianping (L) Encourages Entire Public To Provide Ideas, Including Research Institutions, Businesses, And Students; China Aerospace Science And Technology Corporation, Headed By Wu Yansheng, Prepares Heavy Carrier Rockets To Support Human Moon Landing

Credits: CMSE, CASC

Friday / 13 Apr 2018

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India PSLV Launch Bodes Well For Chandrayaan-2; China Advancing CE-4 And Planning For Human Moon Missions

The 3rd Successful Rocket Launch Of 2018 For India, PSLV-XL On C41 Mission After C40 In January & GLSV F08 In March, Boosts Further Confidence For Upcoming Chandrayaan-2 Lunar Lander, Rover, Orbiter Mission Launching First Week Of October On F10 Mission; CAST Chief Designer Of Tianzhou-1 Craft Bai Mingsheng States China Working Toward Human Lunar Landing Program To Be Initiated ~2020; Chang’e-4 Orbiter Launching May-June To Lunar Far Side, Followed By CE-4 Lander In December To Host Neutron Dosimeter And “Lunar Mini Biosphere” Of Potato, Flowering Arabidopsis, Silk Worms

 

Credits: CNSA, CAST, NAOC, CAS, ISRO, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 Apr 2018

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ILOA Announces Galaxy Forum Hainan 2018: China, Themed International Human Moon Missions, And Astronomy From The Moon

Registration Now Open For 4-7 December 2018 Galaxy Forum Hainan Being Held At Hilton Wenchang On Hainan Island, China’s Southernmost Province; Featured Speakers Include Dr. Andy Aldrin, Prof. Ziyuan Ouyang, Astronaut Soyeon Yi, ILOA Director Steve Durst, Dr. Maohai Huang, Dr. David Schrunk, Dr. Chris Sallaberger; Participation Will Come From Global Commercial, International, National Representatives; Sponsors / Supporters Are International Lunar Observatory Association, Chinese Society Of Astronautics, National Astronomical Observatories Of China, International Astronautical Federation, Canadian Space Agency

Credits: ILOA, SPC, CSA, NAOC, IAF, CSA-ASC

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 30 Mar – 2 Apr 2018

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Major Spacefaring Powers Discuss Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway, Collaboration With China

The 2nd Symposium ‘Return To The Moon: A Partnership Of Government, Academia & Industry’ Hosted By USRA, GWU And SPI, Enhances Plans For International / Commercial Cooperation To Land Humans On Moon, Build Permanent Presence In Cislunar Space; 12th Man On Moon (L) Harrison Schmitt Says China Is Geopolitical Imperative; Robert Lightfoot Of NASA States USA Looking To Engage Academia & Industry In International Effort To Explore Space, Vital To Utilize Moon As Step Toward Mars; Space Policy White Paper By D. Holland & J. Burns Includes Analysis Of USA Mixed Comments On Becoming ‘Leading’ Space Power And ‘True International Collaboration’, As Well As Unfocused Exploration Priorities / Goals

Credits: Boeing Co., NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 Mar 2018

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Brown-Vernadsky Microsymposium 59 In Texas Focuses On China Lunar Success And Plans

China Lunar And Deep Space Exploration Program Overview Set To Take Place 17-18 March In Woodlands, TX On The Eve Of 49 LPSC; Cosponsored By Brown University, Russian Academy Of Sciences, Vernadsky And Space Research Institute; Will Highlight University Research, Analysis, Results Across China; With Open Discussion, 25 Presenters Including James Head Of Brown University, NAOC Deputy Director ChunLai Li, Will Focus On Future Lunar Missions, Activities, Particularly Chang’e 1-3 Data, Chang’e-4 Landing Studies, Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission

Credits: Brown University, Planetary Society, Vernadsky, NAOC

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 9-12 Mar 2018

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China Signs MoU With Russia For Lunar Collaboration, Also In Talks With Japan

CNSA, Roscosmos Plan To Create Lunar Project Data Center, Collaborate On Russia Luna-Resurs 1 Launching 2022, China 2023 Mission To Moon South Pole; MoU Signing By Roscosmos Director Igor Komarov, CNSA Deputy Head Wu Yanhua In Tokyo 3 March For Cooperation In 6 Science, Tech, Exploration Areas; VP Of JAXA Mamoru Endo Meets To Discuss Japan-China Collaborations; CNSA Also Working On New-Gen Reusable Spacecraft With Ability To Carry 4-6 Astronauts To Chinese Space Station, Near Earth Asteroids, Mars; Eventual 20,000-Kg Version For Lunar Landings; Astronaut Wang Yaping Prepares To Work On China Space Station, Hopes To Land On Moon

Credits: Planetary Society, CNSA, Women Voice, CAST, CASC, CMSA