Chinese Lunar Exploration Program
The moon program of the People's Republic of China, English: Chinese Lunar Exploration Program ( CLEP ) is a program for exploration of the Moon with unmanned spacecraft and in a possible later stage with manned spaceships. It is coordinated by the China National Space Administration, the space agency of the People's Republic of China. Part of the program are a lunar orbiter ( Chang'e -1), a moon rover and a Rückholmission, should be brought to the Earth with the moon rocks.
The launches and flights are monitored constantly by the "TT & C System" ( Deep Space Tracking Network). For this purpose, a 50 - meter radio antenna in Beijing and three 40 -meter antennas in Kunming, Shanghai and Urumqi are used, which together form a 3000 - kilometer - antenna interferometry (VLBI ). In addition, a system of ground stations, the incoming data can be evaluated.
The first spacecraft of the program, Chang'e -1, was an unmanned orbiter was successfully launched from the Baikonur Xichang on 24 October 2007. The mission ended on 1 March 2009 with the targeted impact on the moon.
Ouyang Ziyuan, a Chinese expert in the field of geology for exploration of the subsoil ( nuclear tests) and for extraterrestrial materials, was the first who pointed out that not only the well-known large metal deposits such as iron, could be target, but also the reduction of lunar helium-3, which is considered an ideal fuel for a nuclear fusion power plant. Ouyang now participates in the Chang'e program and is considered one of the strongest proponents of a possible manned lunar mission for the space of the People's Republic of China.
- 2.1 Manned Missions
- 2.2 Cooperation with Russia
Program Structure
According to the plan currently being published, the program will consist of three stages:
Lunar orbit mission ( Chang'e -1, 2007)
Chang'e -1 is a lunar orbiter. The first plans of the mission were completed in September 2004. The research and development of the prototype and the related tests were carried out until the end of 2005. Design, manufacture and overall test on the ground were made with the completion in December 2006. On October 24, 2007, Chang'e -1 started. On March 1, 2009 struck Chang'e -1 specifically at 09:13 GMT clock at 1.5 degrees south latitude and 52.36 degrees east longitude at Mare Fecunditatis on the moon on.
Lunar orbiter ( Chang'e -2, 2010) and Moon landing mission ( Chang'e -3, 2013)
Chang'e -2 orbit was launched on October 1, 2010 and orbited the moon in 100 km altitude for several months: As announced by Ye Peijian, the development manager of the Chang'e project, the second phase began with another lunar orbiter was lowered to the conclusion to 15 km.
Took place on December 14, 2013, Chang'e -3, the first unmanned moon landing of the Chinese lunar program. A lunar rover named Yutu should be on the lunar surface in operation for three months.
The six-wheeled lunar rover was located since 2002 at the Shanghai Aerospace System Engineering Institute in development. The lunar surface has been artificially recreated in a laboratory. The 1.5 -meter-high and 120 -kilogram rover was designed to transmit video in real time to the ground to dig and analyze soil samples. The operation of the rover will be similar to the unmanned NASA missions, Spirit and Opportunity. For supplying power to serve solar cells, during the night cycles of the rover enters a quiescent state.
Return mission (2017)
In the third phase will be developed based on the findings of Lander mission, a spacecraft that can return about 2 kg of lunar rock to Earth. According to Ye Peijian this mission is scheduled for 2017.
Future Development
At present, the second and the third phase of the planned. Both require the availability of the heavy-lift rocket CZ- fifth Huang Chunping, the former head of rocket development in China's manned space flight, the Xinhua News Agency said in March 2007 that the missile could only be made " in seven or eight years " is available. But that would mean a delay in the implementation of the next phase of the Chang'e program.
Manned missions
It is very likely that the fourth phase begins with a manned mission in the form of Shenzhou - flight around the moon since the Shenzhou spacecraft - similar to the Soyuz spacecraft in the 1960s - are designed. A first manned lunar landing would be possible in the period 2025-2030. Currently, the Baikonur Wenchang, the fourth and southernmost of the country is produced. From there to the new CZ -5 rocket can launch. Wu Weiren, chief designer of the lunar program, said in a press conference at the Chang'e 3 mission: " In our country, comprehensive systems to probe the Moon and Mars were launched. In this case, each step is the basis for the next. So will follow the moon project an unmanned mission a manned. This is a logical process. We have also been created with the successful missions of lunar probes, the Chang'e 1 "and Chang'e 2 ' foundations for probing of Mars. In this case, there is no problem. "
Cooperation with Russia
Anatoly Perminov, head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos said in September 2006, told RIA Novosti that the two countries could work on the Moon as a partner and that by the end of 2007, an agreement will be signed, which established the creation of a joint commission will.