BEIJING, China, May 18, 2007 - Satnews Daily - China has just announced it will launch its first Moon probe called “Chang’e-1” sometime during the second half of this year. Chang’e is a mythical Chinese Lunar goddess.
Ouyang Ziyuan, head of the Chang’e Lunar Exploration Project (CLEP), said preparations for the satellite, rocket, ground control and data reception are ready for the exploration. “We will be able to launch the probe the second half of this year.”
Ouyang said a Long March A3 carrier rocket will launch Chang-e-1from the Xi'Chang Satellite Launch Center. He also said the probe's operational orbit has already been decided on.
Chang'e-1 will carry six kinds of payloads, for a total of 25 devices arranged in eight instruments. The payloads consist of an Optical Imaging System, Laser Altimeter, Gamma/X-Ray Spectrometer, Microwave Detector and a Payload Data Management System.
The CCD optical system will take a series of three two-dimensional images of a target area (before, during and after flyover of the spacecraft) to create a three-dimensional image of the lunar surface.
Ouyang said China will make a 3-D map of the Moon and research the distribution of lunar elements, lunar soil thickness and the Moon's surface environment. A committee of over 100 space experts has also been organized to support CLEP. The scientists have agreed to share the data sent back by Chang'e-1 on the lunar environment.
After liftoff, Chang'e-1 will make three orbits around the Earth, a burn at perigee extending the orbit's apogee further each time, until a final translunar injection burn places it on course for the Moon.
The Chang’e-1 platform is based on the DFH-3 communications satellite. Mature technologies and experience gained from related satellite missions have been fully utilized I designing Chang’e-1. In terms of technical configuration, Chang’e-1 is a new spacecraft. The satellite will weigh 2,350 kg, with 130 kg of payload, and will orbit the Moon for one year.
The four aims of the Chang-e-1 program are to obtain three-dimensional imagery of the lunar surface; detect the contents and distribution of a number of chemical elements on the lunar surface; probe the depth of lunar soil or regolith and explore the cislunar space environment.
