Tag: Moon Exploration

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#BeltAndRoadinitiative #December2021 | #嫦娥五号The #Moon #Change5 probe its Heroic #LunarMission from #MonsRumker #LunaExploration #Review The third anniversary of the first anniversary of the Chang’e 5 mission series-space rods#ChangZheng5 …..

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One year ago today 24th November 2020 Now it’s the 24th November 2021 , 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.……  

​​At 23:10 on December 3, 2020, the Chang’e-5 ascender carried a lunar sample to take off from the lunar surface. About 6 minutes later, it entered an elliptical orbit around the moon. At 2:13 on December 6, the ascender accurately reached the scheduled “handover” position 50 kilometers in front of the orbit-return assembly and about 10 kilometers above it. At 5:42, the ascender and the orbit-returning assembly completed the rendezvous and docking. At 6 o’clock, the sample packaging container was transferred from the ascender to the returner. This process of autonomous rendezvous and docking and sample transfer is like the handover process in a 100-meter relay race. It is brilliant and highly technical. Using a lunar orbital rendezvous and docking after take-off from the lunar surface, rather than a direct lunar-to-ground transfer after taking off from the lunar surface, this design is conducive to collecting and carrying more samples back to the earth, and for technical accumulation and verification for subsequent missions.

Aspect 1-chase in space

Both the ascender and the orbit-back assembly fly around the moon, but the orbital heights are different. The ascender runs on the outer track at a height of 210 kilometers, and the orbit-back assembly runs on the inner track at a height of 200 kilometers. The distance on the inner track is short, the track-back assembly runs slightly faster, and the ascender on the outer track runs slower. In order to realize the “transfer bar”, the rail-back assembly needs to raise the rail in the height direction and gradually approach the ascender in the front and rear direction. When approaching a certain distance, the orbit-back assembly will autonomously control the engine to change the direction of travel and take a shortcut to catch up with the ascender. During the entire chase process, multiple anchor points are set up, and the orbit-return assembly stops to keep the relative position unchanged, conducts a state inspection, and ensures that the measurement and control conditions meet the requirements during docking.

Picture: Lunar orbital rendezvous and docking flight phase division. (Source: Xu Yang, Ma Lin, Liu Tao, etc. Chang’e 5 Lunar Orbital Rendezvous and Docking Guidance, Navigation and Control System. Science in China: Technological Sciences, 2021, 51: 788–798)

 Aspect 2-“High-precision measurement” + “Know yourself and the enemy”

During the rendezvous and docking process, it is necessary to make the orbit-return assembly and the ascender know the relative position, speed and attitude of each other. For this reason, a variety of sensors for relative measurement are configured to realize relative navigation. When the distance is 100 kilometers, the microwave radar starts to work. It not only provides the relative motion parameters of the two devices according to the traditional radar “call and answer” mode, but also upgrades to the “dialogue exchange” mode, between the orbital assembly and the ascender. Two-way transmission of remote control commands and telemetry parameters. At a distance of 20 kilometers, lidar “comes on the scene” to provide higher-precision measurement information. At about 100 meters, the optical sensor began to show its talents to achieve close distance and attitude measurement. These sensors are relayed to each other over the working distance and covered and connected, so as to ensure that there are at least two different systems of sensors available at any distance, so that the orbit-back assembly can be seen more accurately, the measurement is more precise, and the system is more reliable. 

Aspect 3-precise “handover baton” from 380,000 kilometers away

The weight of the orbit-return assembly is more than 2 tons, but the mass of the ascender is only one-sixth of its mass. If the traditional collision docking is used, it is very easy to cause the ascender to be knocked into flight. For this reason, a claw-type catching and docking mechanism is specially designed. Each pair of claws is like two arms, which are quickly closed within 1 second to form a closed space, and the passive lock handle of the ascender is firmly restrained inside. Can’t escape. It has to be accurate, and the accuracy requirement after docking is better than 0.5 mm, which is like “threading a needle” in space. The use of 3 sets of claw mechanism star-shaped circumferential layout and self-centering design realizes the automatic centering of the two aircraft after docking, and realizes the lightweight design while ensuring high-precision docking.

The design of the transfer mechanism is also very clever. In order to realize the transfer of long-stroke sample containers of more than six hundred millimeters, the designers found inspiration from the inchworm. Based on the principle of movement stroke amplification + relay transfer, they proposed a relay mechanism for imitating the inchworm. The simple circular expansion and contraction movement of the parallel link can realize the continuous movement of the object. The entire transfer process is like the movement of a caterpillar, stretching and shrinking, continuously advancing.

​​2020年12月3日23时10分，嫦娥五号上升器携带月球样品从月面点火起飞，约6分钟后，进入环月椭圆轨道。12月6日2时13分，上升器准确到达轨返组合体前方50公里、上方约10公里的预定“交班”位置。5时42分，上升器与轨返对合体完成交会对接，6时，样品封装容器从上升器转移到返回器中。这个自主交会对接和样品转移过程就好像百米接力赛中的交接棒过程，精彩纷呈，技术含量极高。采用从月面起飞后进行一次月球轨道交会对接，而不是从月面起飞后直接月地转移，这样的设计有利于采集和携带更多样品返回地球，并为后续任务进行技术积累和验证。

看点1——太空中的追逐

上升器和轨返组合体都在环月飞行，但轨道高度不同，上升器在210公里高的外道跑，轨返组合体在200公里高的内道跑。内道路程短，轨返组合体跑得稍快一些，外道的上升器则跑得要慢一点。为了实现“交接棒”，轨返组合体需要在高度方向上抬高轨道，并且在前后方向上逐渐逼近上升器。当接近到一定距离时，轨返组合体会自主控制发动机来改变行进方向，抄近道赶上上升器。整个追逐过程设置多个停泊点，轨返组合体停下来保持相对位置不变，进行状态检查，并确保对接的时候测控条件满足要求。

 看点2——“高精测量”+“知己知彼”

在交会对接过程中，需要让轨返组合体和上升器清楚彼此的相对位置、速度和姿态，为此配置了多种进行相对测量的敏感器，用来实现相对导航。在相距100公里的时候，微波雷达开始工作，既按照传统雷达的“点名答到”模式提供两器的相对运动参数，还升级到“对话交流”模式，在轨返组合体和上升器之间双向传输遥控指令和遥测参数。在相距20公里的时候，激光雷达“登场”，提供更高精度的测量信息。而到了100米左右，光学敏感器开始大显身手，实现近距离的距离和姿态测量。这些敏感器在作用距离上彼此接力又有覆盖衔接，从而确保在任意距离上至少有两种不同体制的敏感器可用，使得轨返组合体看得更准，测得更精，系统更加可靠。 

看点3——38万公里之外的精准“交接棒”

轨返组合体重达2吨多，上升器质量却只有它的六分之一，如果采用传统的碰撞式对接，极易导致上升器被撞飞。为此，专门设计了抱爪式抓捕对接机构，每对抱爪犹如两只手臂，在1秒内快速合拢形成闭合空间，将位于上升器的被动锁柄牢牢地约束在内部，再也无法逃脱。对得上还得对得准，对接后的精度要求优于0.5毫米，好比在太空“穿针引线”。采用3套抱爪机构星型周向布局、自定心设计，实现了两飞行器对接后的自动对准中心，在保证高精度对接的同时实现了轻量化设计。

转移机构的设计也很巧妙。为了实现六百多毫米的长行程样品容器转移，设计师们从尺蠖的身上找到了灵感，基于运动行程放大+接力转移的原理，提出了一种仿尺蠖大展收接力式机构，通过多级并联连杆的简单循环展收运动，就可以实现物体的连续移动。整个转移过程如同毛毛虫的运动，一伸一缩、不断前进。

作者：王琼  胡震宇 于丹 戚铁磊​​​​

Images and visuals are from Weibo and their respectives…. Of CNSA China National Space Administration … 

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#BeltAndRoadinitiative #CLEP #December2021 | #VonKarmanCrater #LunarMission #Change4 #Yutu2 Lunar adventuring #LunaExploration The latest achievement of Chang’e-4-Discovery of impact residues of carbonaceous meteorites on the back of the moon, exploring “moon extraneous water”

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As of Month of December 2021, 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 839.37 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….

Recently, the National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Space Weather Liu Yang State Key Laboratory researcher team, joint University of Hawaii, Macau University of Science and Technology, Peking University and Hong Kong Polytechnic University and other domestic and foreign partners to acquire based on Chang E IV Patroller has Ultra-high spatial resolution imagery and spectral data have identified carbonaceous chondrite impactor residues that are less than one million years old in situ on the lunar surface for the first time. The research results are titled “Impact remnants rich in carbonaceous chondrites detected on the Moonby the Chang’e-4 rover” and published in “Nature- Astronomy.

On the ninth day of Chang’e 4 on the far side of the moon, the Yutu-2 lunar rover “ran into” a fresh impact crater with a size of 2 meters, and carried out detailed spectral detection of the impact crater (Figure 1). The detailed analysis of the hyperspectral image data obtained by the imaging spectrometer found that the spectra of the suspected “residue” in the center of the impact crater and the typical lunar soil and rock fragments inside and outside the crater show significantly different characteristics, which are similar to the spectrum of carbonaceous meteorites. Very high degree of similarity. Quantitative inversion results of the spectrum based on the radiation transfer model showed that the mass ratio of the carbonaceous meteorite in the residue reached more than 40%. The results of the numerical simulation of the impact crater show that a 15cm diameter loose impactor hitting the lunar surface at a speed of 15km/s (the typical impactor speed of the lunar surface) can form the small impact crater morphology observed above. And there are residues distributed in the center of the impact crater. 

      The study of impact residues will provide an important reference for the origin of lunar water and the evolution history of the composition and type of impact bodies in the Earth-Moon system. It is also expected to further constrain the evolution of the solar system’s orbital dynamics and enhance our understanding of the impact history of the inner solar system.

     Studies have shown that the impact of carbonaceous asteroids rich in volatile matter may still provide water for the current moon, and it is believed that carbonaceous asteroids may be a common type of impactor in the current Earth-Moon system, supporting the type of impactor in the inner solar system from early The main change from ordinary chondrites to later carbonaceous chondrites. By analyzing possible impactor residues in the young moon samples of Chang’e-5, further scientific verification can be carried out.

 

Source: Researcher Liu Yang’s team at the State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences​​​​

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#BeltAndRoadinitiative #CLEPS #October2020 | #VonKarmanCrater #LunarMission#嫦娥 #Change4 #玉兔#Yutu2 #JadeRabbit waking up to a Lunar morning exploration 565.9 Metres 660 #EarthDays on the #VonKarman #Crater.. From a good night sleep..

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As of 23rd October 2020, The CNSA –China National Space Administration Belt and Road Initiative Lunar Mission on the One Hundred Kilometer diameter Von Karman Crater    Chang’e 4 lander and the “Yutu 2” lunar rover the Chang’e-4 lander and the “Yutu-2” lunar rover Chang’e 4 lander and “Yutu 2” lunar rover usher in As the celestial bodies move, night falls once again on the back of the moon. The Chang’e 4 lander and the “Yutu 2” lunar rover completed the 23rd day of the month. At 21:40 and 12:00 on October 23, they completed the moon night mode setting according to ground instructions and entered moon night sleep. As of today, the Chang’e-4 lander and the “Yutu-2” lunar rover have successfully worked on the back of the moon for 660 earth days, traveling a total of 565.9 meters.

Recent basalt coverage area (red line area) recent basalt coverage area (red line area)

Based on the data of the panoramic camera stitched images and DOM images on the 22nd day, the “Yutu-2” lunar rover travelled to the basalt distribution area and the impact crater area with higher reflectivity during the 23rd day. Both locations are Located northwest of the lunar rover. In this travel route, the infrared imaging spectrometer performed a spectral detection of a rock block with a diameter of about 30 cm. The scientific research team is conducting in-depth research on the detection data. During the 23-month scientific exploration, the lander’s lunar surface neutron and radiation dose detector carried out the world’s first on-site- on-site particle radiation environment detection on the lunar surface, and obtained precious first-hand scientific data. The research results are in Science Advance Journal published.

The installation position of the moon surface neutron and radiation dose detector on the lander The installation position of the moon surface neutron and radiation dose detector on the lander

The moon surface neutron and radiation dose detector can comprehensively measure the total particle radiation dose, neutral particle radiation dose, particle radiation LET spectrum, neutrons, and charged particles on the moon surface. The actual measurement results show that the particle radiation dose rate near the landing zone is 13.2uGy/h(si), the dose equivalent is twice that of the surface of Mars and the interior of the space station, 5 to 10 times of a flight, and 300 times of the surface of the earth (Beijing).

The measured monthly radiation dose (the horizontal axis is Universal Time, the vertical axis are respectively: a total radiation dose rate in silicon (microGray/hour), b. neutral particle radiation dose rate in silicon (microGray) /Hour), c. The charged particle radiation dose rate in silicon (microGray/hour), d. The cosmic ray penetrating particle flux (pieces/square centimeter·hour·radian) measured monthly surface radiation dose (horizontal The axis is Universal Time, and the vertical axis are: a total radiation dose rate in silicon (microGray/hour), b. neutral particle radiation dose rate in silicon (microGray/hour), c. silicon Charged particle radiation dose rate (microGray/hour), d. Cosmic ray penetrating particle flux (pieces/square centimeter·hour·radian)

These field measurement results provide important radiation environment parameters for the follow-up lunar exploration in my country. The load also distinguishes the radiation dose of charged particles and neutral particles, thereby providing more accurate radiation physical quantities, which can serve the radiation protection of future astronauts.

Today in the history of spaceflight on 24th October :

On October 24, 2007, my country’s first lunar exploration satellite, Chang’e-1, was successfully launched by the Long March 3A carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, opening the glorious course of my country’s lunar exploration project. On November 12, 2008, the full moon image taken by Chang’e-1 was released. On March 1, 2009, the satellite hit the moon in a controlled manner as scheduled. The successful implementation of this mission marked my country’s entry into the world deep space exploration club and established the third milestone of China’s spaceflight after artificial satellites and manned spaceflight.

On October 24, 2014, my country’s first-month high-speed reentry aircraft was launched from the Long March III C-modified II carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, and it orbited the moon three days later. On November 1, the returner landed in Siziwang Banner, Ulanqab City, Inner Mongolia, China. As a pilot mission of the third phase of the lunar exploration project, it verified the key technology of lunar sampling and returning, laying a solid foundation for lunar sampling and returning.

Schematic diagram of reentry and return test track Schematic diagram of reentry and return test track…

随着天体的运行，夜幕再次降临在月球背面。嫦娥四号着陆器和“玉兔二号”月球车完成第23月昼工作，分别于10月23日21时40分和12时，按地面指令完成月夜模式设置，进入月夜休眠。截至今天，嫦娥四号着陆器和“玉兔二号”月球车已在月球背面顺利工作660个地球日，累计行驶565.9米。

最近玄武岩覆盖区域（红色线条区域）最近玄武岩覆盖区域（红色线条区域）

基于第22月昼全景相机拼接影像、DOM影像等数据情况，“玉兔二号”月球车在第23月昼期间先后向玄武岩分布区域和反射率较高的撞击坑区域行驶，这两个位置均位于月球车西北方向。在此行进路线中，红外成像光谱仪对一直径约为30cm的岩块进行了光谱探测。科研团队正在对探测数据进行深入研究。在23个月昼的科学探测中，着陆器上月表中子与辐射剂量探测仪开展了国际上首次月表实地粒子辐射环境探测，获取了珍贵的第一手科学数据，研究成果在Science Advance期刊发表。

月表中子与辐射剂量探测仪在着陆器上的安装位置月表中子与辐射剂量探测仪在着陆器上的安装位置

月表中子与辐射剂量探测仪可对月表的粒子辐射总剂量、中性粒子辐射剂量、粒子辐射LET谱、中子、带电粒子进行综合测量。实测结果表明，着陆区附近粒子辐射剂量率为13.2uGy/h(si)，剂量当量是火星表面和空间站内部的2倍，一次航班的5到10倍，地球表面（北京）的300倍。

测量到的月表辐射剂量（横轴为世界时，纵轴分别为：a 硅中的总辐射剂量率（微戈瑞/小时），b. 硅中的中性粒子辐射剂量率(微戈瑞/小时)， c. 硅中的带电粒子辐射剂量率(微戈瑞/小时)，d. 宇宙线穿透粒子通量(个/平方厘米·小时·弧度)测量到的月表辐射剂量（横轴为世界时，纵轴分别为：a 硅中的总辐射剂量率（微戈瑞/小时），b. 硅中的中性粒子辐射剂量率(微戈瑞/小时)， c. 硅中的带电粒子辐射剂量率(微戈瑞/小时)，d. 宇宙线穿透粒子通量(个/平方厘米·小时·弧度)

这些实地测量结果为我国后续的月球探测提供了重要的辐射环境参数。该载荷还将带电粒子和中性粒子的辐射剂量进行了区分，由此提供了更加精准的辐射物理量，可服务于未来航天员的辐射防护。

航天史上的今天：

2007年10月24日，我国首颗探月卫星嫦娥一号由长征三号甲运载火箭在西昌卫星发射中心发射成功，开启了我国探月工程的辉煌历程。2008年11月12日，嫦娥一号拍摄的全月球影像图发布。2009年3月1日，卫星按预定计划受控撞月。本次任务的成功实施，标志着我国进入世界深空探测俱乐部，树立了中国航天继人造卫星和载人航天之后的第三个里程碑。

2014年10月24日，我国首个月地高速再入返回飞行器在西昌卫星发射中心由长征三号丙改II型运载火箭发射升空，三日后实现绕月。11月1日返回器在中国内蒙古乌兰察布市四子王旗境内着陆。作为探月工程三期先导任务，验证了月球取样返返回关键技术，为月球采样返回奠定了坚实基础。

再入返回试验轨道示意图再入返回试验轨道示意图

Images and visuals are from Weibo.. ​​​​Also from my own lunar photography @KevinJamesNg 

#BlueOrigin #藍色起源 | #月球著陸器 – introducing the #LunarLander #BlueMoon a multi-tasking mission lander ….

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On the 10th May 2019, Blue Origin has introduce a new Lunar Lander in which is designed as a multi mission lander in which its design heritage is design to launch a small, medium towards large payloads to the lunar orbit, or the lunar surface, in provisions of precise and soft landings .. with a manned exploration command lunar module.. Exploring with a human lunar exploration on the moon….

Blue Moon designs comes from learning from the New Shepard, with LH2|LOX propulsion system.. with precision helm and navigation controls for vertical landing and landing gearing systems..  The payload capabilities capacity in which can land multiple metric tonnes of payload on the lunar landscape..  with the top deck for Luna Landers, or accommodating with heavier payloads with a standard ESPA class payload ring port in the medium and lower decks.. is power core system is a battery of fuel cells in which as long duration capacitance for most nights to come depending of the mission requirements criteria..  there’s two Variants of the Blue Moon Lunar Lander, the payload delivery, also the larger variant in which a Lunar Command Module is attached to the landing module  for a manned exploration crew..