 | |
| Mission type | Lunar orbiter[1][2] |
|---|---|
| Operator | CNSA |
| COSPAR ID | 2007-051A |
| SATCATno. | 32273 |
| Mission duration | 1 year (planned) 1 year, 4 months and 5 days (final) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | DFH-3A[3] |
| Manufacturer | China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) |
| Launch mass | 2,350 kg (5,180 lb)[4] |
| Payload mass | 130 kg (290 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 24 October 2007, 10:05:05 UTC |
| Rocket | Chang Zheng 3A |
| Launch site | XichangLC-3 |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Deorbited |
| Decay date | 1 March 2009, 08:13:10 UTC |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Selenocentric |
| Periselene altitude | 200 km (120 mi) |
| Aposelene altitude | 200 km (120 mi) |
| Inclination | 64° |
| Period | 127 minutes |
| Lunar orbiter | |
| Orbital insertion | 5 November 2007 |
| Impact site | 1°30′S52°22′E / 1.50°S 52.36°E /-1.50; 52.36 |
Chang'e 1 (/tʃæŋˈʌ/;simplified Chinese:嫦娥一号;traditional Chinese:嫦娥一號;pinyin:Cháng'é yī hào) was anuncrewed Chineselunar-orbitingspacecraft, part of the first phase of theChinese Lunar Exploration Program. The spacecraft was named after the Chinese Moon goddess,Chang'e.
Chang'e 1 was launched on 24 October 2007 at 10:05:04UTC fromXichang Satellite Launch Center.[5] It leftlunar transfer orbit on 31 October and enteredlunar orbit on 5 November.[6]The first picture of the Moon was relayed on 26 November 2007.[7] On 12 November 2008, a map of the entire lunar surface was released, produced from data collected by Chang'e 1 between November 2007 and July 2008.[8][9]
The mission was scheduled to continue for a year, but was later extended and the spacecraft operated until 1 March 2009, when it was taken out of orbit. It impacted the surface of the Moon at 08:13 UTC.[2] Data gathered by Chang'e 1 was used to create an accurate and high resolution 3-D map of the lunar surface.[10] Chang'e 1 was the first lunar probe to conduct passive, multi-channel, microwave remote sensing of the Moon by using a microwave radiometer.[11]
Its sister orbital probeChang'e 2 was launched on 1 October 2010.[12]
TheChinese Lunar Exploration Program is designed to be conducted in four phases of incremental technological advancement:[13] The first is simply reaching lunar orbit, a task completed by Chang'e 1 in 2007 andChang'e 2 in 2010. The second is landing and roving on the Moon, asChang'e 3 did in 2013 andChang'e 4 did in 2019. The third is collecting lunar samples from the near-side and sending them to Earth, a task for theChang'e 5 andChang'e 6 missions. The fourth phase consists of development of a robotic research station near the Moon's south pole.[13][14][15] The program aims to facilitate a crewed lunar landing in the 2030s and to possibly build an outpost near the south pole.[16]
The Chang'e 1 mission had four major goals:[9][17]
In addition, the lunar probe engineering system, composed of five major systems – the satellite system, the launch vehicle system, the launch site system, the monitoring and control system and the ground application system – accomplished five goals:
According to the schedule, detailed design of the first program milestone was completed by September 2004. Research and development of a prototype probe and relevant testing of the probe were finished before the end of 2005. Design, manufacture, general assembly, test and ground experiments of the lunar orbiter were finished before December 2006.[citation needed]
Originally scheduled for April 2007, the launch was postponed until October as this was "a better time for sending a satellite into the Moon's orbit".[20] Chang'e 1 was launched by aLong March 3A rocket at 10:05 GMT on October 24, 2007, fromXichang Satellite Launch Center inSichuan Province.
After liftoff, Chang'e 1 made three orbits around the Earth, a burn atperigee extending the orbit'sapogee further each time, until a finaltranslunar injection burn placed it on course for the Moon on October 31, 2007. Another burn placed it in apolar orbit around the Moon, with burns at theperiselenium of the first three orbits decreasing theaposelenium until it entered a final circular orbit. Lunar orbit insertion was achieved on the November 5, 2007. To mark this occasion, the probe transmitted 30 classical Chinese songs and musical pieces, including "My Motherland", "The Song of the Yangtze River", and "High Mountains and Flowing Water".[citation needed]
The probe was remotely controlled from stations atQingdao andKashgar, as the first use of theChinese Deep Space Network. TheESAMaspalomas Tracking Station was also used to transmit signals to and from the probe.[citation needed]
The first pictures of the Moon were relayed on November 26, 2007. The probe was designed to orbit the Moon for one year,[18] but operations were later extended, and it remained in lunar orbit until March 1, 2009.
On 1 March 2009, at 08:13:10 UTC, Chang'e 1 crashed onto the surface of the Moon, ending its mission. According to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (China), this was a planned and controlled impact.[21] Impact point was1°30′S52°22′E / 1.50°S 52.36°E /-1.50; 52.36.[4][22][23] During its orbital mission the probe transmitted 1,400 gigabits or 175 gigabytes (GB) of data.[11]
The Chang'e 1 spacecraft had a mass of 2,350 kg (5,180 lb), with a 130 kg (290 lb) payload, carrying 24 instruments including acharge-coupled device (CCD)stereo camera, microprobe instruments, and a high-energy solar particle detector.
