 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Beijing, China (XNA) Mar 03, 2011 China is expected to launch its fifth lunar probe, Chang'e-5, in 2017 to send back a moon rock sample to earth, a top Chinese space scientist told Xinhua Wednesday. A lunar landing probe, lunar surface patrol device and other equipment would be carried by Chang'e-5, said Ye Peijian, chief designer of Chang'e-1, the country's first moon probe, and chief commander of the Chang'e-2 and Chang'e-3 missions. "Chang'e-5 will also carry a drilling machine to get moon rock from a depth of 2 meters underground," he said. He revealed that experts from Hong Kong and Macao would participate in the lunar probe project. Ye was speaking ahead of his attendance at the annual session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, China's top political advisory body, which is to convene Thursday. China launched its first lunar probe, Chang'e-1, named after the country's mythical Moon Goddess, on Oct. 24, 2007, from the southwestern Sichuan Province. The probe ended its 16-month mission on March 1, 2009, when it crashed into the moon's surface. The second lunar probe, Chang'e-2, was launched on Oct. 1 last year. It entered its long-term lunar orbit on Nov. 3, beginning a six-month mission to take high-resolution images of the moon's Sinus Iridum, or Bay of Rainbows. Space authorities have revealed that China would launch its third unmanned probe to the moon, Chang'e-3, in 2013. "A soft-landing on moon will be a main aim for Chang'e-3," Ye said. A China-designed moon rover would land with Chang'e-3, he said. The moon rover is a robot that can move and accomplish complicated tasks of detecting, collecting and analyzing samples. After Chang'e-3, China would launch Chang'e-4 with the goal of achieving automatic patrols on the moon, Ye said. But a launch time for the fourth lunar probe remains unknown. According to China's three-phase moon exploration plan, the first phase was the launch of Chang'e-2. The second will be when Chang'e-3 lands on the moon in 2013. Then, in 2017, a moon rock sample will be returned to earth. Space experts have said the country would conduct more than 20 space missions this year as it accelerated efforts to improve space technologies. Last year China conducted 15 space missions.
Source: Source: Xinhua
Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links - Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com Lunar Dreams and more
The Great Moonbuggy RaceMoffett Field CA (SPX) Feb 25, 2011 Forty years after the first lunar rover rolled across the moon's surface, 84 teams of enterprising future engineers will demonstrate the same ingenuity and can-do spirit at the 18th annual NASA Great Moonbuggy Race, set for April 1-2 in Huntsville, Ala. The event challenges high school and college students to design, build and race lightweight, human-powered rovers - "moonbuggies" - which ... read more |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2010 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook
