China
Check-up prepares Chang´e 1 for scientific exploration
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Source: CCTV.com | 11-12-2007 09:13
Special Report: Chang'e I -Journey to the Moon |
The lunar satellite Chang'e-One is undergoing a check-up. Engineers started the 10-day test on Friday. It follows the satellite's successful entry of the lunar orbit earlier this week.
The check-up is to prepare the probe for scientific exploration scheduled to start in a week.
Two key devices on Chang-e One have been made operational-- the star sensor and the beam antenna.
On Friday afternoon, Chang'e-One encountered sun outage. This phenomenon occurs when the sun, the orbiter and the receiving ground antenna are all in line with one another.
The energy from the sun can override the orbiter's signals resulting in loss of transmission.
Li Jian from Beijing Aerospace Control Center said, "In this case, we put instructions into the orbiter beforehand. Even when it's out of view, Chang'e-One can still operate normally as it is designed to do."
Currently, no communication cut-offs have been reported.
Chang-e One was captured by lunar gravity on Monday and became China's first moon satellite after scientists conducted a successful brake for the probe.
