Tag: Moon Exploration

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#WenchangSpacecraftLaunchCenter #文昌航天發射場 #BRI #May2024 | #ChangZheng5  #LongMarch5 Yao 8 launch successfully for #嫦娥六号#Change6 #LunarLander #LunarProbe South Pole-Aitken Basin  #LunarSampleReturnMission #DarksideOfTheMoon …. #ASummary

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At 17:27 on May 3rd Friday 2024  Beijing time CNSA –China National Space Administration, the Chang’e-6 probe was successfully launched by the Long March 5 Yao-8 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province,  China, People’s Republic of China., and accurately entered the Earth-moon transfer orbit. The launch mission was a complete success. The Chang’e-6 probe has embarked on the world’s first return journey for sampling from the far side of the moon. The pre-selected landing and sampling area is the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon.

About 37 minutes after the Long March 5 Yao-8 carrier rocket flew, the rocket separated, sending the Chang’e-6 probe directly into the predetermined Earth-moon transfer orbit with a perigee altitude of 200 kilometers and an apogee altitude of about 380,000 kilometers. The Chang’e-6 probe consists of an orbiter, returner, lander, and ascender. Subsequently, with the support of ground measurement and control and the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, the Chang’e-6 probe will undergo processes such as earth-moon transfer, near-moon braking, orbiting the moon, landing and descent, and soft landing on the lunar surface, and finally reach a pre-selected area on the far side of the moon. Collect lunar surface rock and soil samples, and conduct scientific exploration at the same time. After completing the sampling and packaging, the ascender will take off from the lunar surface, then carry out lunar orbit rendezvous and docking and transfer the samples to the returner; the returner will undergo processes such as moon-to-earth transfer, approaching the second cosmic speed and re-entering the earth, and finally carry precious Lunar samples returned to Earth.

According to reports, the entire process from launch to sample return of the Chang’e-6 mission takes about 53 days. The mission cycle is long, there are many engineering innovations, high risks and difficulties, and each stage is interlocked. Compared with the Chang’e-5 mission that achieved sample return from the front side of the moon in 2020, the Chang’e-6 mission needs to implement the first sample return from the far side of the moon with the support of the Queqiao-2 relay star, breaking through the lunar retrograde orbit design and control, and intelligent and rapid lunar backside Key technologies such as sampling and lunar take-off and ascent. At the same time, the Chang’e-6 mission will carry out scientific explorations such as on-site investigation and analysis of the landing area on the back of the moon, laboratory analysis and research of lunar samples, and deepen the study of the formation and evolution history of the moon.

In addition, the Chang’e-6 mission has carried out pragmatic international cooperation. In April 2019, the National Space Administration released the “Announcement on International Payload Cooperation Opportunities for the Chang’e-6 Mission”. Through the collection and selection of proposals for two batches of international payload carrying projects, the ESA lunar surface negative ion analyzer, There are four international carrying projects including the French Lunar Radon Detector, the Italian Laser Corner Reflector, and the Pakistani CubeSat. Among them, the ESA Lunar Surface Negative Ion Analyzer will detect negative ions on the lunar surface and study the interaction mechanism between plasma and the lunar surface; the French Lunar Radon Detector aims to conduct in-situ detection of radon isotopes on the lunar surface and study volatilization The transmission and diffusion mechanism of objects in the lunar environment; the Italian laser corner reflector plans to use the positioning on the back of the moon to carry out joint ranging and positioning research with other lunar exploration missions; the Pakistani CubeSat will carry out an on-orbit imaging mission to verify the NanoSatelllites moon Orbit detection technology.

On May 3, the CNSA- China National Space Administration held a Chang’e-6 international payload seminar in Haikou. About 50 international friends from 12 national space agencies, embassies in China, including Pakistan, France, and Italy, as well as international organizations such as the United Nations and ESA, gathered in Hainan to discuss cooperation and witness the launch of the Chang’e-6 mission.

The Long March 5 launch vehicle is my country’s first new-generation high-thrust launch vehicle with a core diameter of 5 meters. It has a total length of about 57 meters, a take-off weight of about 870 tons, a take-off thrust of more than 1,000 tons, and a low-Earth orbit carrying capacity of up to 25 tons. The geosynchronous orbit has a carrying capacity of up to 14 tons and completed its first flight in 2016. Due to the constant changes in the relative position of the Earth and the Moon, in order to ensure that the rocket is launched on time, the model team applied the “narrow window multi-orbit” launch technology and designed a total of 10 lunar orbits for the rocket within a 50-minute window for two consecutive days. Improve implementation launch probability and reliability. At the same time, the development team continued to optimize the launch site process, reducing the time it took to launch Chang’e-5 from nearly 60 days to 43 days. This is the 519th launch of the Long March series of launch vehicles.

The lunar exploration project is organized and implemented under the leadership of the National Space Administration. For this Chang’e-6 mission, the overall project was undertaken by the Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of the National Space Administration; the detector and launch vehicle were developed by the Space Technology Research Institute and Launch Vehicle Technology Research Institute of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation respectively; the launch The measurement, control and recovery work is jointly completed by China Wenchang Space Launch Site, Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, Xi’an Satellite Measurement and Control Center, Yuanwang Survey Ship, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and other units; the ground application system is mainly undertaken by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#BRI #CLEP #January2023 | #VonKarmanCrater #LunarMission #Change4 #Yutu2 travelling more than 1.5 Kilometers on Hard Working on the moon Celebrating the #ChineseLunarNewYear #YearOftheRabbit ….

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As of Month of 7th July 2022, The CNSA –China National Space Administration CLEP- China Lunar Exploration Program  Belt and Road Initiative Lunar Mission……Chang’e-4 with Yutu two the Lunar rover still working exploring more than moved more than 1239.88  meters on the other side of the moon on the 103 Kilometers Diameter Von Karman Crater in which is least than two length by length fifty five Kilometers Hong Kong –Macau- Zhuhai Bridges …. Working Exploring the Crater on the other side of the Moon Chang’e Luna…. Chang’e-4 completed the 44th day of work, and the results revealed the cause of the abnormal area of ​​​​the Moon’s South Pole-Aiken ….composition travelling The “Yutu 2” lunar rover and lander of the Chang’e The total mileage of the lunar rover on the far side of the moon is 1239.88 meters

As of Today is the first day of the year of the Rabbit on the 22nd January 2022 in which celebrating the hard working on the Von Karman Crater adventuring in celebrating the  jade rabbit on the moon Yutu2 has sent some photos to us as a new year gift….. The Yutu-2 lunar rover and the lander of Change4 probe woke up respectively on January 15th and 16th 2023. They started their 51st lunar day work period…… In which So far, Yutu-2 has been working for over 4 years. It has travelled nearly 1.5 kilometers and released more than 940.1GB scientific data of scientific data at all levels.

 Blessings for the Year of the Rabbit! This year is the traditional Chinese Year of the Rabbit. In the hearts of Chinese people, the most famous rabbit must be the “Jade Rabbit” from ancient Chinese myths. . China Aerospace has such a “Jade Rabbit”, which also lives on the moon. It is the “Yutu-2” lunar rover in my country’s lunar exploration project. On the occasion of the Chinese New Year in the Year of the Rabbit, it sent back the latest photographs from the moon 380,000 kilometers away, sending a New Year blessing.

Images and visuals are from their Respectives source CLEP – China Lunar Exploration Project

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#BRI #August2022 | #嫦娥五号#CLEP The #Moon #Change5 #LunarMission #MonsRumker #LunaExploration the New research achievements – Chinese scientists reveal the composition of lunar soil minerals and space wind at the landing site of Chang’e 5…

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More than One year ago on 24th November 2020, the Chang Zheng – Long March Five Carrier Rocket Launched away  in CNSA – China National Space Administration China Wenchang spaceport launch, Change Five  Lunar probe into orbit, opened up towards China – People’s Republic of China’s first celestial bodies sample return trip from Mons Rumker on the Lunar Surface of the moon New research achievements – Chinese scientists reveal the composition of lunar soil minerals and space wind at the landing site of Chang’e 5

China – People’s Republic of China’s first lunar sampling return mission, Chang’e-5 (CE-5), landed on the young KREEP terrane Mons Rumker in the northern part of the Ocean of Storms, and successfully brought back 1731 grams of lunar soil.

 Predecessors have used orbital remote sensing data to conduct extensive research on the topography and material composition of the CE-5 landing area. Recently, a series of sample analyses have advanced the understanding of lunar chronology, late lunar volcanism, and magma evolution mechanisms. Different from large-scale remote sensing observation and fine sample analysis, in situ spectral detection can not only provide local background information of the sampling area, but also be beneficial to study the characteristics of lunar soil in undisturbed and disturbed states. The Lunar Mineral Spectrometer (LMS) carried by the CE-5 lander acquired the visible-infrared reflectance spectrum of the lunar soil, which provided important data support for the study of the material composition of the lunar soil and space weathering.

Researchers from the Key Laboratory of Solar Activity and Space Weather of the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the “Space Center”) used the Chang’e-5 LMS in situ detection data to analyse the material composition and maturity, spectral parameters and unmixing of the lunar soil at the landing site The study shows that the mafic minerals in the lunar soil are mainly clinopyroxene, which is consistent with the chemical analysis and orbital spectral analysis results of the CE-5 sample in the laboratory.

The optical maturity and submicroscopic iron (SMFe) of the lunar soil did not change significantly before and after the rocket purge and shovel sampling. This study provides spectral evidence that the lunar soil surface experienced rapid tillage and adequate mixing.

Figure 1: (A) The measured field of view of the LMS spectral data is shown in the red box. Panoramic cameras show images of (B) lunar soil and (C) rocks, respectively. (D) LMS reflectance spectrum curve.

The red box in Figure 1A shows the observation field of LMS spectral data, where D11 is the rock block, and D14-D16 are the lunar soil spectra after shovelling. The magnified images of lunar soil and rocks are shown in Figure 1B and C, and Figure 1D shows the reflectance spectrum curve after preprocessing such as radiometric calibration and thermal correction.

Through the spectral parameter map of the absorption features at 1 μm and 2 μm (Fig. 2A), it was found that with the increase of calcium content, the absorption positions of pyroxene at 1 μm and 2 μm moved to the long-wave direction, and the lunar soil and rocks at the CE-5 landing site For high-calcium pyroxene, this is further confirmed in the 1 μm absorption center and the ratio projection of the 2 μm to 1 μm absorption area (Fig. 2B).

In this study, the Hapke model and the sparse unmixing algorithm were used to invert the mineral composition and abundance of the in situ spectra. The inversion results were consistent with the analysis results of CE-5 samples and the inversion results of orbital remote sensing (Fig.

Figure 2: LMS in situ spectral composition analysis

Space weathering is a common phenomenon of spectral reddening and darkening caused by micrometeorite impacts and solar wind injection on non-atmospheric celestial bodies.

First, the maturity of the lunar soil at the CE-5 landing site was qualitatively analyzed by using the projection maps of the spectral slopes R950/R750 and R1600/R700 and R750 and R700 respectively (Fig. 3A, B). It was found that compared with the lunar soil at the CE-4 landing site, the The lunar soil in the CE-3 and CE-5 landing areas is relatively immature, which may be related to the fact that CE-3 and CE-5 landed on a young impact crater sputter carpet (<100 Ma).

This study further calculated the optical maturity (OMAT, Fig. 3C) and submicroscopic iron (SMFe, Fig. 3D) content, and found that there was no significant change in lunar soil maturity before and after the rocket purge, and before and after scooping, indicating CE-5 landing The lunar soil in the district has experienced an equivalent exposure history within the scooping depth (<3cm).

This result is consistent with the radionuclide analysis results of the Apollo drilling samples and the simulation results of the lunar soil tillage model. This study provides spectroscopic evidence that the lunar soil surface undergoes rapid tillage and adequate mixing.

Figure 3: LMS In Situ Spectral Maturity Analysis

Space weathering is a common phenomenon of spectral reddening and darkening caused by micrometeorite impacts and solar wind injection on non-atmospheric celestial bodies.

First, the maturity of the lunar soil at the CE-5 landing site was qualitatively analyzed by using the projection maps of the spectral slopes R950/R750 and R1600/R700 and R750 and R700 respectively (Fig. 3A, B). It was found that compared with the lunar soil at the CE-4 landing site, the The lunar soil in the CE-3 and CE-5 landing areas is relatively immature, which may be related to the fact that CE-3 and CE-5 landed on a young impact crater sputter carpet (<100 Ma).

This study further calculated the optical maturity (OMAT, Fig. 3C) and submicroscopic iron (SMFe, Fig. 3D) content, and found that there was no significant change in lunar soil maturity before and after the rocket purge, and before and after scooping, indicating CE-5 landing The lunar soil in the district has experienced an equivalent exposure history within the scooping depth (<3cm).

This result is consistent with the radionuclide analysis results of the Apollo drilling samples and the simulation results of the lunar soil tillage model. This study provides spectroscopic evidence that the lunar soil surface undergoes rapid tillage and adequate mixing.

上述研究成果

已成功发表于国际权威学术期刊

Earth and Planetary Science Letters上。

Via CNSA China Space Administration –CLEP China Lunar Exploration project management office

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#BeltAndRoadinitiative #July2022 | #CMS #ChinaMannedSpace #CLEP #ChinaLunarExplorationProgram the Advance Next Generation #LunaMannedLanding #ChangZheng #LongMarch #CarrierRockets …..

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中国空间站 On currently on 29th July 2022 2022, the Belt and Road Initiative CNSA –China National Space Administration   on the currently developments of the  latest progress of China’s Chang Zheng – LongMarch manned lunar landing carrier  rockets Science and Technology Daily reporters learned from the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation on July 28 2022 that the 702 Institute of the Academy recently successfully completed the multi-machine parallel static-motion joint test of my country’s new generation of manned launch vehicles. It strongly supported the smooth transition of the development of this type of rocket to the initial stage.


The key point is in picture 1 also pictured on the header. The pull rods carrying 350 tons and the thrust of 2800 tons are installed in the 8 columns. Obviously, this test is the core stage (refer to Figure 2), and the thrust of the entire rocket (including the two boosters) is to transmit from this.


This is the new ultra heavy large Chang Zheng –Long March domestically made Carrier rocket that I am most looking forward to, and it is the key model for realizing the dream of manned lunar moon landing…..  

This test is an important test to verify the key technologies of multi-machine parallel connection and bottom-box force transmission of a new generation of manned launch vehicles. Wang Xiaohui, director of the 702 Institute, said that the successful completion of the test marks the first time that my country has broken through the large-load static-dynamic joint test technology. It is an important innovation in test methods and test capabilities. Solid foundation.


“This is the largest, most technically difficult, and most complicated test ever conducted in the field of mechanical testing in my country.” Zhu Xiquan, deputy chief designer of the 702 Institute, introduced that the test needs to break through the static thrust of multiple engines under actual flight conditions Combined loading with vibration load involves key test technologies such as vibration elastic boundary simulation, nearly 1,000-ton static load elastic loading, and multi-machine combined multi-dimensional vibration control and loading under large static load.

The new-generation manned launch vehicle base stage module has a diameter of 5 meters and is equipped with multiple 120-ton engines. Zhu Xiquan said that the high-thrust engine multi-machine parallel technology is the first time that my country’s launch vehicle has adopted it, which brings about the coupling effect of static and dynamic forces of complex structures and the nonlinear transmission problem under the action of combined loads. One of the key technologies to deepen research. In order to analyze and solve this problem and verify the effectiveness of the design scheme, the technical team designed and implemented the first multi-machine parallel static and dynamic joint test in my country.

Since 2019, the 702 Institute has demonstrated and determined the experimental technical plan with relevant units. According to the plan, the team successively broke through the key technologies required for the test, and this year developed a static and dynamic load consisting of 28 sets of 50-ton oil and gas support systems, multiple sets of 20-ton induction shaking tables and a set of 1,000-ton vibration elastic boundary systems. Combined loading test system…

Images and visuals are from their respectives.

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#BeltAndRoadinitiative #CLEP #June2022 | #VonKarmanCrater #LunarMission #Change4 #Yutu2 #ChineseAcademyOfSciences Research Reveals the Constraints of the Chang’e-4 Infrared Imaging Spectroscopic Ground Validation Experiment on the Material Composition of the Lunar SPA Surface…

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As of Month of April 2022, The CNSA –China National Space Administration CLEP- China Lunar Exploration Program  Belt and Road Initiative Lunar Mission……Chang’e-4 with Yutu two the Lunar rover still working exploring more than moved more than 1142.39 meters on the other side of the moon on the 103 Kilometers Diameter Von Karman Crater in which is least than two length by length fifty five Kilometers Hong Kong –Macau- Zhuhai Bridges …. Working Exploring the Crater on the other side of the Moon Chang’e Luna….

On 27th June 2022 the Chinese Academy of Sciences Research Reveals the Constraints of the Chang’e-4 Infrared Imaging Spectroscopic Ground Validation Experiment on the Material Composition of the Lunar SPA Surface

The Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (VNIS) on the Yutu No. 2 Lunar Rover has measured infrared imaging spectral data at multiple locations along the rover’s walking route. VNIS is the main method used to study the composition of lunar soil and lunar surface rocks in the landing area and to trace their origin. The research of the Institute of Geology and Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed the constraints on the composition of the lunar SPA surface by the Chang’e-4 infrared imaging spectroscopy ground verification experiment.

The Yutu-2 rover has been working on the lunar surface for more than 40 months, and the infrared imaging spectrometer (VNIS) it carried has measured infrared imaging spectral data at multiple locations along the rover’s walking route. VNIS is the main method used to study the composition of lunar soil and lunar surface rocks in the landing area and to trace their origin. However, factors such as space weathering, particle size and multiple scattering, the spectral response of the instrument, and observation conditions all affect the spectral characteristics and lead to large uncertainties in the mineral composition calculated from the lunar surface spectral data.

　　In order to quantitatively evaluate the reliability of different VNIS data processing methods, Chang Rui, a doctoral student in the Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, under the guidance of his supervisor researcher Yang Wei and associate researcher Lin Honglei, selected a mineral composition with Spectroscopic ground verification experiments were performed on the Suchang-gabbro with similar lunar highland rocks (Fig. 1). The rock (CR-1) studied by the ground verification experiment has an actual mineral pattern content of 12.9% olivine, 35.0% pyroxene and 52.2% plagioclase, as measured by scanning electron microscopy. In order to more accurately calculate the spectral results of CR-1, the researchers ground and sorted the olivine, low-calcium pyroxene, high-calcium pyroxene and plagioclase from the rock samples in CR-1. -4, ASD) to measure the visible-near-infrared spectral results of each single mineral (Fig. 2a), and each single mineral has its own spectral absorption characteristics. The spectrum of CR-1 measured by the VNIS identifier showed distinct absorption features at the 971 (±1) nm and 1957 (±8) nm bands (Fig. 2b). This absorption feature is similar to the rock absorption feature detected by VNIS on the Yutu-2 rover on the third day of the month. The Hapke model of the VNIS spectrum of CR-1 calculated the mineral pattern content of the sample to be 7.5% olivine, 39.3% pyroxene and 53.2% plagioclase, which were consistent with the true results within the error range.

　　According to the data processing method in this study combined with the photometric correction of the Chang’e-4 lunar surface data by Yang et al. (2020), the more accurate mineral model content of the rocks detected by the Yutu-2 rover on the third day should be 11.7 % olivine, 42.8% pyroxene and 45.5% plagioclase. The rover found another lunar surface rock on the 26th day with spectral absorption characteristics similar to those found on the 3rd day, with mineral pattern contents of 3.2% olivine, 24.6% pyroxene, and 72.2% plagioclase. The two lunar surface rocks belong to the sutraite category in the “Anorthosite-Norite-Troctolite” (ANT) system (Fig. 3) (Heiken G, 1991), which means that the Chang’e-4 landing area lunar The rock formations under the soil are mainly ANT rocks. The rocks detected by the Yutu-2 rover on the 26th day contained more plagioclase and were closer to the mineral composition of the average lunar crust.

　　To sum up, the lunar surface of the Chang’e-4 landing area has su-long and plagio-like rocks, which represent the material formed by the rapid crystallization in the impact melting pool and the composition of the average lunar crust, respectively. On the one hand, an impact event excavated material from the underlying layers of lunar soil to the lunar surface. These excavated materials have the characteristics of crystalline plutonic rocks in the molten pool of the South Pole Aitken Basin (SPA). On the other hand, the initial lunar crustal material formed before the SPA big impact event can also be retained in the SPA.

　　The related research results were published in Remote Sensing . The research work has been funded by the Strategic Pilot Science and Technology Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Key Deployment Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Innovation Interdisciplinary Team of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Civil Aerospace Pre-research Project of the National Space Administration, and the Key Deployment Project of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Figure 1. (a) The image of the lunar surface rock detected by Chang’e-4 on the third month; (b) the spectral detection status of the lunar surface rock (the yellow circle represents the near-infrared spectral detection field); (c) the ground verification of this study The rock used in the experiment (CR-1)

Figure 2. (a) Visible-NIR spectra of single minerals in CR-1; (b) VNIS spectra of rocks and CR-1 measured on the third day of Chang’e-4

Fig. 3. Mineral composition distribution of olivine-pyroxene-plagioclase in lunar surface rocks measured by Chang’e-4 (Heiken G, 1991). The lunar sample sampling points are marked in the figure, for example: A-11 is Apollo 11, L-16 is Luna 16, (H) and (M) represent high ground and lunar soil, respectively

Images and visuals are from their Respectives source Chinese Academy of Sciences .. 52 Sanlihe Rd., Xicheng District, Beijing, China (100864)- People’s Republic of China.