Source: NASA

10-19-2007 16:16

Chang'e 1 is planned to be the first of a series of Chinese missions to the Moon. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch on 24 October 2007 at 10:05 UT (18:05 Chinese Standard Time) on a CZ-3A (Long March 3A) booster from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Chang'e will orbit the Moon for a year to test the technology for future missions and to study the lunar environment and surface regolith. The primary engineering objectives of the mission are to validate the technology necessary to fly lunar missions. The primary science objectives are to obtain three-dimensional stereo images of the lunar surface, determine the distribution of some useful elements on the surface and estimate their abundance, survey the thickness of lunar soil and to evaluate helium-3 resources, and to explore the environment between the Moon and Earth. The orbiter is based on the DFH-3 Comsat bus and will have a mass of 2350 kg, 130 kg of which will be the scientific payload. The payload will comprise five types of instruments, including a stereo camera system to map the lunar surface, an altimeter to measure the topography, a gamma/X-ray spectrometer to study the overall composition and radioactive components of the Moon, a microwave radiometer to map the thickness of the lunar regolith, and a system of space environment monitors to collect data on the solar wind and near-lunar region. The Chang'e program is named for a Chinese legend about a young fairy who flies to the Moon. Funding for Chang'e is 1.4 billion yuan, approximately U.S. $169 million.

 

Editor:Yang Jie