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fishhead

One step closer to the Moon

China announced on Friday that its Moon probe project has entered the launching phase, and the satellite and the carrier rocket are ready for launch.

The China National Space Administration said on Friday that the first lunar orbiter, Chang'e I, and the carrier rocket, a Long March 3-A, have both passed testing.

The launch site, testing system and ground application system have also been completed for launch.

With all systems go, the leading team for the Moon exploration project gathered a mobilization meeting on Friday and announced the project had entered a new stage.

"The project will be a milestone in our space technology," Zhang Yunchuan, minister of the Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defence, told the meeting.

"It is our first attempt in exploring the Moon with technology wholly developed on our own."

He quoted Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan's words, asking all participants to continue working hard to guarantee the project a complete success.

Zhang didn't specify the launch date.

Initiated in January 2004, the Moon exploration project is regarded as the third milestone in China's space technology venture after successful satellite and manned spacecraft projects.

The Moon orbiter, Chang'e I, will provide 3D images of the Moon's surface, probe the distribution of 14 usable elements on the Moon, study lunar microwaves and estimate the thickness of the Moon's soil, earlier reports said.

This is only the first phase of China's Moon probe program.

The entire program is divided into three phases - "circling the Moon", "landing on the Moon" and "back to Earth".

After the launch of the orbiter in the first phase, China will launch a Moon rover in the second phase, and launch another rover in the third phase, which will land on the Moon and return to earth with lunar soil and stone samples.

China has also set a goal of landing spacemen on the Moon within 15 years, Xinhua News Agency quoted a leading scientist as saying in March.

China carried out its maiden piloted space flight in October 2003, making the country the third in the world following the former Soviet Union and the United States to have put men into space. In October 2005, China sent its second manned spacecraft into space, with two astronauts on board.

China is one of the few countries that are capable of developing navigation satellite systems on its own.

Previous reports quoted by Xinhua News Agency said it will provide clients with positioning accuracy within 10 meters, velocity accuracy with 0.2 meter per second and timing accuracy within 50 nanoseconds.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2...nt_6022342.htm

fishhead

China to survey 'every inch' of moon

China plans to survey all of the moon's surface before eventually bringing bits of it back to Earth, state media reported Friday.

"We would like to survey every inch of the moon's surface," Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of the China's moon exploration project, was quoted as saying on the website of Chinese News Service.

Ouyang, speaking at a conference in southwestern China this week, said China's lunar exploration programme was divided into three phases: orbiting the moon, landing on the lunar surface and coming back to Earth with samples.

China hopes to send an unmanned spacecraft to the moon to survey it systematically and after that, will attempt to collect samples of it bring back to Earth, he said.

China's space agency chief, Sun Laiyan, said earlier this year that the country aimed to launch its first lunar orbiter in the second half of 2007.

"The moon probe project is the third milestone in China's space technology after satellite and manned spacecraft projects, and a first step for us in exploring deep space," the China National Space Administration head said.

The orbiter represented the first phase, with a moon rover to be used in the second phase scheduled for around 2012, reports said.

The plan for the third phase was for another rover to land on the lunar surface and collect samples before returning to Earth.

China would continue to research manned space missions, including a space walk and experiments to link passing spacecraft, he said.

In 2003 China successfully launched astronaut Yang Liwei into orbit, becoming the third country after the former Soviet Union and the United States to put a man in space.

Its space ambitions have continued to grow and China announced in March that it would launch a joint mission with Russia to Mars in 2009.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2...nt_6022108.htm

Roger604

They were saying mid-September. Are they moving it up a month now?

It's strange they didn't even give a launch date.

DarkEminence

Not really. It's a security liability, as well because the space program is relatively new there is a chance of failure. It's the same reason why the first man to space launchdate was also uncertain.

The_LT

Great news! China is heavily exploring one of the future battlefields/frontiers...space. Maybe this will help them in using space/moon towards their advantages besides shooting nukes and spy satellite1

Undead Yogurt

Launch date confirmed: October 24, 6PM. I guess they wanted to wait after the Party Congress.

bd popeye

Undea Yogurt, Could you plese post a translation of that artice? Thanks!

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clarkliu

this is the automatic translate...

Chinese net china.com .cn time: 2007-10-16 makes the commentary>> The newspaper news (Reporter Cai Wenqing) reporter this morning learned, “Chang E 1” when October 24 the launch lift-off.The related astronomy space research aspect expert also confirmed this view. According to the expert disclosed that, the satellite window time determination is quite complex, must to factors and so on local thunder and lightning, precipitation and cloud amount carries on the multianalysis, and unifies the correlation history material to judge.In astronautics, the satellite launch, the meteorology, the astronomy and so on under the many department repeatedly consultation, have finally determined the best launch window for October 24 about the 6 pm of 05 minutes. But at present Xichang satellite launch center preparatory work anxious order, uses in launches “Chang E 1” Long March-III armor rocket already the hoisting entering the 3rd tower the rotation platform, but “Chang E 1” also already entered the launch area 3rd firing tower calmly to stand erect, blue color rotation platform tight closed, assumed the test condition.The Xichang satellite launch center test launch, the survey control and so on five large-scale system technical personnel, is racing against time, the essence measured the thin quantity, is guarantees “Chang E 1” the satellite smooth launch lift-off to carry on the final preparation, at present preparatory work all smooth. According to the understanding, for guaranteed “Chang E 1” the smooth lift-off, the Xichang satellite launch center to 2, the 3rd firing tower has all carried on the dozens of technological transformations.At present, the central two towers have the launch “Chang E 1” ability.Some experts appraise that, after promotion 3 launch the tower to become in the world one of most advanced launch towers.After several days, “Chang E 1” from 85 meter high 3rd firing tower launchings, will rush toward 380,000 kilometer beside Moon.At the appointed time the world once more will focus attention on China. Newspaper special correspondent before the launch will rush toward the launching base in “Chang E 1”, will bring the newest scene report for the reader.

SteelBird

I think you guys should not rely on automatic translation. As I read the translation above, it's almost un-understandable. Please ask some member who has time to translate the post.

bd popeye

Amen to that...I kinda understand but only about 10%

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westlife007

专家称嫦娥一号计划24日下午6时许发射
experts claimed Chang'e I planned to be lauched on 6PM 24th this month!

中国网 china.com.cn　　时间： 2007-10-16　　发表评论>>
本报讯(记者蔡文清)记者今天上午获悉，“嫦娥1号”将在10月24日下午6时许发射升空。有 关天文空间研 究方面的专家也证实了这一说法。

据专家透露，卫星最佳发射时间的确定相当复杂，需对当地雷电、降水和云量等因素进行详细分析， 并结合相关历 史资料来判断。在航天、卫星发射、气象、天文等多个部门反复协商下，最终确定了最佳发射窗口为 10月24日 下午6时05分左右。

目前西昌卫星发射中心的准备工作紧张而有序，用于发射“嫦娥1号”的长征三号甲火箭已经吊装进 3号塔的回转 平台，而“嫦娥1号”也已经进入发射区3号发射塔静静矗立，蓝色的回转平台紧紧闭合，呈测试状 态。西昌卫星 发射中心测试发射、测量控制等五大系统科技人员，正在争分夺秒，精测细量，为确保“嫦娥1号” 卫星顺利发射 升空进行最后的准备，目前准备工作一切顺利。

据了解，为确保“嫦娥1号”顺利升空，西昌卫星发射中心对2号、3号发射塔都进行了数十项技术 改造。目前， 中心两个塔架均具备发射“嫦娥1号”的能力。有专家评价说，升级后的3号发射塔架已成为世界上 最先进的发射 塔架之一。数天之后，“嫦娥1号”将从85米高的3号发射塔起飞，奔往38万公里之外的月球。 届时世界将再 次瞩目中国。

本报特派记者将在“嫦娥1号”发射前奔赴发射基地，为读者带来最新的现场报道。

bd popeye

It appears the Chinese moon shot is right on schedule...Here are some very recent pictures for you gents to enjoy!

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SteelBird

Hey Boy:

Your post has been posted shortly above. If possible, please give a translate version, but no automatic translation please. Thank you!

bd popeye

The Peoples Republic of China launches it's first Moon probe!

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tphuang

this is kind of interesting, talks about tracking with submarine and yuan wang