Category Archives: China

Friday / 8 Feb 2019

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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

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 1-4 Feb 2019

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Three More International Lunar Landings Preparing In 2019

Israel “Beresheet,” First Privately Built Lunar Lander To Reach Launch Site, Prepares At SpaceX Processing Facility In Cape Canaveral For Launch NET 18 February On 8-Week Voyage To Mare Serenitatis; NASA Contributes Laser Retroreflector Array And Use Of Deep Space Network For Beresheet; India Chandrayaan-2 (L) Set For Launch By End Of Apr; First Mission To Moon South Polar Region Consists Of 2380-kg Orbiter, 1470-kg Lander And 27-kg Rover; While Zhongguo Chang’e-3 And Chang’e-4 Are Operating, Chang’e-5 Lunar Sample Return (R) Scheduled For Late 2019, Depending On Launch Success Of Long March 5 In July

Credits: ISRO, SpaceIL, NAOC, CNSA

Tuesday / 29 Jan 2019

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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