Category Archives: China

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 1-4 Mar 2013

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China Rising As Space Power Through Clear Vision, Lunar Aspirations

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China Progressing Steadily On Clearly Defined / Consistently Executed Space Plan; Chang’e-2 Arrival In Outer Space 20M km From Earth Is Breakthrough For China Deep Space Exploration; 5th China Human Spaceflight Set For Jun~Aug 2013; China Upgrades Long March-3B Rocket For Late 2013 Chang’e-3 Lunar Lander Mission, Increasing Carrying Capacity By 30 kg & Allowing For Additional Launch Windows

Image Credit: CNSA, 33rdsquare.com, news.xinhuanet.com

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 22-25 Feb 2013

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China On The Moon

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First China Lunar Rover Mission Set For Late 2013; Vehicle, Named ‘Zhonghua’ (China), Will Weigh 120kg, 20kg Of Payload, Able To Travel Up To 10km On Lunar Surface; 2 Solar Panels & Nuclear Fuel Cells Will Power Rover For 3-Month Life Span; Radar On Bottom Will Explore 100m Beneath Surface; Mechanical Arm Will Take Samples; Preliminary Research Underway For Human Mission In 2025-2030

Image Credit: Xinhuanet, theepochtimes.com

Wednesday / 30 January 2013

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Destination Moon

RoboticVillageMoon

International Lunar Activity Gaining Momentum In 2010s As China Prepares For Chang’e-3,4,5 Lunar Lander Missions In 2013, 2015, 2017; Russia Luna-Glob Orbiter In 2015, Luna-Glob / Luna-Resurs Polar Landers in 2016, 2017; USA LADEE Orbiter In 2013; India Chandrayaan-2 Lander ~2015; Japan SELENE-2 Lander ~2018; Private Enterprise GLXP Landers 2014-2015, ILO-1 Lander 2015-2016, Golden Spike Company Human Mission ~2019

Credit: Dwayne Day – The Space Review

Image Credit: Corby Waste, fourth-millennium.net

Tuesday / 8 January 2013

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New Year Review Of Lunar Exploration Resources

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Valuable Update Of Major Lunar Research & Development Resources Being Provided By Long-Time Professional Space / Lunar Project Information Expert Larry Kellogg Via ‘To The Moon, Mars And Beyond’ Blog: Energy / Power Issues In Lunar  Settlement, China 2013 Lunar Lander / Rover, Chang’e-3 Implications For GLXP, South Pole Moon As Ideal Destination For Exploration / Development  

Image Credit: CNSA, NASA, Pat Rawlings

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon, 4-7 Jan 2013

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Moon Lander Scenarios For NASA

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Impending 2013 China Moon Lander Should Inspire USA To Renew National Robustness In Lunar Surface Exploration; NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Working On Mini Lunar Landers, Original 2013 Launch Date Delayed To ~2018 Due To Inconsistent Funding / Support / Incentive; With US Government Commitment Of ~US$200-300M  NASA Could Achieve Robotic Lander / Power Station On Lunar South Pole ‘Peak Of Eternal Light’ Within 2 Years

Image Credit: NASA, ESA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 14-17 Dec 2012

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China Lunar Orbiter Achieves Rendezvous With Asteroid

Chang’e-2 Lunar Exploration Satellite Conducts Successful Rendezvous With Toutatis 4179 Asteroid On 13 Dec; While Passing Within 3.2 Km Of Toutatis At Relative Velocity Of 11km / Second, Probe Collected Data / Images Of Size, Shape, Constitution & Orbit Of Potentially Earth-Threatening Asteroid; Results Help China Prepare For Future Asteroid Exploration 

Image Credit: CNSA

Wednesday / 28 November 2012

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China Chief Lunar Scientist Extols Benefits Of Solar System Exploration

Ziyuan Ouyang Says Previous Lunar Exploration Is Just “Small Step In Knowing The Whole Moon,” Emphasizes Need To Spread Scientific Knowledge To General Public: How Lunar / Solar System Exploration Provides Benefits In Technology / Economic Development; Lunar Helium-3 As Future Power Source; Cost Effectiveness Of China Chang’e Program; Hopes Chinese People Can “Set Their Footprints All Over Solar System”

Image Credit: cntv.cn

Friday / 16 November 2012

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Chang’e-3 Looks To Launch 2013, May Cost GLXP Competitors US$5M

China National Space Administration Announced “Definitive” Plans To Launch Chang’e-3 In 2013; Model On Display At ‘Airshow China 2012’; Li Dong Deputy Director Of China Aerospace Science And Technology Corp. Says Lunar Chang’e-3 Is Key Step In China’s Deep Space Exploration; 3rd Phase Requires Ascent Vehicle, Return Module, More; Chang’e-3 Would Reduce Google Lunar X-Prize By US$5M If Successful

Image Credit: CNSA, CASC, China.org, Xinhua

Tuesday / 6 November 2012

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Chang’e-3 Advances With Lander Testing / New Ground Tracking

China Robotic Lunar Lander Mission Chang’e-3 Passes Thermal Dynamic Trials, Testing Key Mechanical Performance Of The Lander Prior To Trial Run Of Propulsion System; New Superconducting Receiver Developed By 16th Research Institute, China Electronic Corporation Installed In New Deep Space Monitor And Ground Control Station; Receiver Expected To Also Support Future Mars Mission

Image Credit: CNSA, CLEP

Wednesday / 31 October 2012

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China Massive Radio Telescope May Support Moon Mission

 

China Exhibited New Radio Telescope Sunday Located At The Foot Of Sheshan Mountain In Shanghai; 4th Largest In World; Will Do Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI); Able To Receive 8 Frequency Bands And Communicate With Earth Satellites, Lunar & Deep Space Probes; Chang’e-2 Chief Designer Wu Weiren Hopes It Will Be Operational In Time To Support Upcoming Lunar Mission