China successfully launched its first circumlunar satellite Chang'e-1 on Wednesday, another step towards its ambition to become a major power in the outer space
With a total investment of 1.4 billion yuan (about 180 million U.S. dollars), the lunar orbiter, first made by a developing country, is one of the cheapest in history. It is named after the Chinese goddess who, according to legend, flew to the moon to live a happier life there.
MAKING WHOLE NATION FEEL PROUD
"The lunar probe is an important stimulus for China's scientific development, a significant demonstration of China's overall national capacity and a promotion of its national prestige on the international stage," said Luan Enjie, chief commander of the country's lunar orbiter project.
As the most sophisticated satellite Chinese experts have ever handled, Chang'e 1 will be maneuvered at least 10 times over the next fortnight, covering more than one million kilometers before it finally arrives in the moon's orbit on Nov. 5 after entering earth-moon transfer orbit on Oct. 31.
Owing to its multiple maneuvers, the fuel will make up half of the satellite's total weight of 2,350 kg, said Chen Xianfeng, an expert with the satellite flight control headquarters located in Beijing.
Also riding to the moon aboard the lunar probe are some 30 Chinese folk songs chosen according by the public and a panel of experts. China's national anthem and "The East is Red", a tribute to Mao Zedong, which was broadcast in 1970 from the country's first man-made terrestrial satellite, will also be played from the satellite.
The state television broadcast live the launch, louding the country's achievements and progress in many aspects.
CHINA'S SELF-INNOVATION CAPACITY
The satellite will relay the first pictures of the moon in late November and will then continue scientific explorations of the moon for a year to gauge its temperature using microwave radiation technology, estimate the depth of the lunar crust and explore the environment between the moon and the earth.
The whole process has extremely high technological requirements in areas like rocketry, communication, monitoring and control, remote sensing, apparatus research and development, according to Luan.
"These will provide us with the impetus to make rapid advances in China's science and technology so that in the near future China can get its own first-hand materials from the moon," said Luan.
"The lunar project represents the development of China's self-innovation capacity in terms of the exploration of the outer space, which is also a contribution to the world," said Ye Peijian, chief designer and commander-in-chief of the satellite system of China's lunar probe program.
"MANKIND WILL BENEFIT FROM OUR EXPLORATION"
"Taking a 3D image of the moon is one example: there are none available anywhere in the world at the moment. The graph can help us to better understand the structure of the moon," Ye said.
Orbiting 200 kilometers above the surface, China's explorer will use stereo cameras and X-ray spectrometers to map 3D images of the lunar surface.
"Besides, we will explore 14 group elements of great importance on the moon's surface. The US only made five groups," said Ye.
Chang'e 1 will also carry a laser altimeter to take precise measurements of the elevation of the moon's surface, as well as gamma/X-ray spectrometers to locate and measure the amount of 14 elements, including potassium, uranium, titanium and helium.
The possibility of mining the moon for its helium-3 is a major task of the lunar probe. This non-polluting and potent element with almost no radioactive by-products is considered by many scientists to be the perfect fusion energy source to replace oil and gas once the depth of the moon's soil and the quantity and distribution of helium-3 are measured.
"We will explore the new energy prospects on the moon for mankind. After all, the Earth's resources are not inexhaustible," said Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of the lunar program, adding there is about 15 tons of helium-3 on the Earth, while the volume of helium-3 on the Moon is estimated at one to five million tons.
"When obtaining nuclear power from helium-3 becomes a reality, the resource on the moon can be used to generate electricity for more than 10,000 years for the whole world," Ouyang said.
Aside from the circumlunar satellite launch, China's three-stage moon mission, a project that began in 2004, also comprises a moon landing and launch of a moon rover around 2012. In the third phase, another rover will land on the moon and return to earth with lunar soil and stone samples for scientific research around 2017.
China is the third nation to build and launch spacecraft to ferry astronauts into orbit following the former Soviet Union and United States. The country launched its first astronaut into space during the 2003 October flight of Shenzhou V and followed with the two-astronaut Shenzhou VI flight in October 2005.
"The lunar project is an important step toward China's exploration of deeper space and the moon will provide a good platform from which to explore," said Sun Laiyan, chief of the China National Space Administration.
"In the exploration to the outer space, no one knows how far and how soon we could be in the future," said Luan Enjie, chief commander of China's lunar orbiter project.
"To have further discovery of the space and mankind is the ultimate purpose for the world science and civilization. It is also the responsibility of a powerful nation," said Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of China's lunar orbiter project.
With a total investment of 1.4 billion yuan (about 180 million U.S. dollars), the lunar orbiter, first made by a developing country, is one of the cheapest in history. It is named after the Chinese goddess who, according to legend, flew to the moon to live a happier life there.
MAKING WHOLE NATION FEEL PROUD
"The lunar probe is an important stimulus for China's scientific development, a significant demonstration of China's overall national capacity and a promotion of its national prestige on the international stage," said Luan Enjie, chief commander of the country's lunar orbiter project.
As the most sophisticated satellite Chinese experts have ever handled, Chang'e 1 will be maneuvered at least 10 times over the next fortnight, covering more than one million kilometers before it finally arrives in the moon's orbit on Nov. 5 after entering earth-moon transfer orbit on Oct. 31.
Owing to its multiple maneuvers, the fuel will make up half of the satellite's total weight of 2,350 kg, said Chen Xianfeng, an expert with the satellite flight control headquarters located in Beijing.
Also riding to the moon aboard the lunar probe are some 30 Chinese folk songs chosen according by the public and a panel of experts. China's national anthem and "The East is Red", a tribute to Mao Zedong, which was broadcast in 1970 from the country's first man-made terrestrial satellite, will also be played from the satellite.
The state television broadcast live the launch, louding the country's achievements and progress in many aspects.
CHINA'S SELF-INNOVATION CAPACITY
The satellite will relay the first pictures of the moon in late November and will then continue scientific explorations of the moon for a year to gauge its temperature using microwave radiation technology, estimate the depth of the lunar crust and explore the environment between the moon and the earth.
The whole process has extremely high technological requirements in areas like rocketry, communication, monitoring and control, remote sensing, apparatus research and development, according to Luan.
"These will provide us with the impetus to make rapid advances in China's science and technology so that in the near future China can get its own first-hand materials from the moon," said Luan.
"The lunar project represents the development of China's self-innovation capacity in terms of the exploration of the outer space, which is also a contribution to the world," said Ye Peijian, chief designer and commander-in-chief of the satellite system of China's lunar probe program.
"MANKIND WILL BENEFIT FROM OUR EXPLORATION"
"Taking a 3D image of the moon is one example: there are none available anywhere in the world at the moment. The graph can help us to better understand the structure of the moon," Ye said.
Orbiting 200 kilometers above the surface, China's explorer will use stereo cameras and X-ray spectrometers to map 3D images of the lunar surface.
"Besides, we will explore 14 group elements of great importance on the moon's surface. The US only made five groups," said Ye.
Chang'e 1 will also carry a laser altimeter to take precise measurements of the elevation of the moon's surface, as well as gamma/X-ray spectrometers to locate and measure the amount of 14 elements, including potassium, uranium, titanium and helium.
The possibility of mining the moon for its helium-3 is a major task of the lunar probe. This non-polluting and potent element with almost no radioactive by-products is considered by many scientists to be the perfect fusion energy source to replace oil and gas once the depth of the moon's soil and the quantity and distribution of helium-3 are measured.
"We will explore the new energy prospects on the moon for mankind. After all, the Earth's resources are not inexhaustible," said Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of the lunar program, adding there is about 15 tons of helium-3 on the Earth, while the volume of helium-3 on the Moon is estimated at one to five million tons.
"When obtaining nuclear power from helium-3 becomes a reality, the resource on the moon can be used to generate electricity for more than 10,000 years for the whole world," Ouyang said.
Aside from the circumlunar satellite launch, China's three-stage moon mission, a project that began in 2004, also comprises a moon landing and launch of a moon rover around 2012. In the third phase, another rover will land on the moon and return to earth with lunar soil and stone samples for scientific research around 2017.
China is the third nation to build and launch spacecraft to ferry astronauts into orbit following the former Soviet Union and United States. The country launched its first astronaut into space during the 2003 October flight of Shenzhou V and followed with the two-astronaut Shenzhou VI flight in October 2005.
"The lunar project is an important step toward China's exploration of deeper space and the moon will provide a good platform from which to explore," said Sun Laiyan, chief of the China National Space Administration.
"In the exploration to the outer space, no one knows how far and how soon we could be in the future," said Luan Enjie, chief commander of China's lunar orbiter project.
"To have further discovery of the space and mankind is the ultimate purpose for the world science and civilization. It is also the responsibility of a powerful nation," said Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of China's lunar orbiter project.
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