1.3 China’s Lunar Exploration Program
17
1.3.2 Brief Information on Chang’E Probes
1. Chang’E-1 Probe [4]
The Chang’E-1 probe was Chinese first lunar orbiter. The scientific objectives of
the Chang’E-1 were: acquiring stereo 3-D images of lunar surface; analyzing the
element abundance and material distribution; detecting the thickness of lunar regolith;
exploring space environment between the Earth and the Moon. The Chang’E-1 was
launched at 18:05 24, Oct. 2007 (Beijing Time) in Xichang satellite launch center. It
was inserted into 200 km Lunar Low Orbit (LLO) and became a manmade lunar satellite at 7, Nov. 2007. Over 1.3 TBytes scientific data was transferred back including the
Moon global images, some element abundance on lunar surface and etc. during the
Chang’E-1 lifetime around the Moon. Scientific and engineering objectives were all
achieved successfully. 494 days after launched, the Chang’E-1 impacted on the Mare
Fecunditatis after 37 minutes deceleration from 15:36 1, Mar. 2009 by command.
2. Chang’E-2 Probe
The Chang’E-2 probe was originally a backup of the Chang’E-1. After success of
the Chang’E-1, some new requirements of 2nd step of CLEP were integrated in the
Chang’E-2 probe. The mission goals of the Chang’E-2 were acquiring high resolution
images of predefined landing site—Sinus Iridum for the Chang’E-3 soft-landing and
continuing scientific lunar exploration. The Chang’E-2 was launched at 19:00 1st,
Oct. 2010 in Xichang satellite launch center. It orbited the Moon at 100 km circular
orbit and 15 km × 100 km orbit to conduct lunar scientific exploration and highresolution imaging. It escaped from Lunar Low orbit at 16:50 9, Jun. 2011 and entered
a trajectory to the Sun-Earth Lagrange point 2 1.5 million kilometers away from the
Earth. The Chang’E-2 probe then became the first Chinese manmade satellite of
the Sun that escaped from the LLO. It flew by the Toutatis asteroid and acquired
high resolution images of the Toutatis asteroid on Dec. 2012. The distance of the
Chang’E-2 to the Earth was more 90 million kilometers and became the Chinese
furthest spacecraft till now.
3. Chang’E-3 Probe
The Chang’E-3 probe was made up of a lander and a rover named Yutu or Jade
Rabbit. The mission goals of the Chang’E-3 were first soft-landing, roving on lunar
surface and conducting in situ exploration including observing the Moon, the Earth
and space on the Moon. The Chang’E- 3 was launched at 01:30 2nd, Dec. 2013
in Xichang satellite launch center. The lunar orbit insertion was performed by the
Chang’E-3 probe at 17:53:06, Dec. 2013 to enter into 100 km circular LLO. The
lunar lander was landed successfully on the Moon at 21:11:14, Dec. 2013 and pretty
images of landing process taken by the descent camera was transferred back. The
Yutu rover was deployed at 04:35 15 Dec. 2013. After that, the lander and the lunar
rover conducted scientific and engineering exploration respectively.
The Chang’E-3 was the Chinese first soft lander on celestial body. It broke through
a lot of key technologies and served as a connecting link in the CLEP.
17
1.3.2 Brief Information on Chang’E Probes
1. Chang’E-1 Probe [4]
The Chang’E-1 probe was Chinese first lunar orbiter. The scientific objectives of
the Chang’E-1 were: acquiring stereo 3-D images of lunar surface; analyzing the
element abundance and material distribution; detecting the thickness of lunar regolith;
exploring space environment between the Earth and the Moon. The Chang’E-1 was
launched at 18:05 24, Oct. 2007 (Beijing Time) in Xichang satellite launch center. It
was inserted into 200 km Lunar Low Orbit (LLO) and became a manmade lunar satellite at 7, Nov. 2007. Over 1.3 TBytes scientific data was transferred back including the
Moon global images, some element abundance on lunar surface and etc. during the
Chang’E-1 lifetime around the Moon. Scientific and engineering objectives were all
achieved successfully. 494 days after launched, the Chang’E-1 impacted on the Mare
Fecunditatis after 37 minutes deceleration from 15:36 1, Mar. 2009 by command.
2. Chang’E-2 Probe
The Chang’E-2 probe was originally a backup of the Chang’E-1. After success of
the Chang’E-1, some new requirements of 2nd step of CLEP were integrated in the
Chang’E-2 probe. The mission goals of the Chang’E-2 were acquiring high resolution
images of predefined landing site—Sinus Iridum for the Chang’E-3 soft-landing and
continuing scientific lunar exploration. The Chang’E-2 was launched at 19:00 1st,
Oct. 2010 in Xichang satellite launch center. It orbited the Moon at 100 km circular
orbit and 15 km × 100 km orbit to conduct lunar scientific exploration and highresolution imaging. It escaped from Lunar Low orbit at 16:50 9, Jun. 2011 and entered
a trajectory to the Sun-Earth Lagrange point 2 1.5 million kilometers away from the
Earth. The Chang’E-2 probe then became the first Chinese manmade satellite of
the Sun that escaped from the LLO. It flew by the Toutatis asteroid and acquired
high resolution images of the Toutatis asteroid on Dec. 2012. The distance of the
Chang’E-2 to the Earth was more 90 million kilometers and became the Chinese
furthest spacecraft till now.
3. Chang’E-3 Probe
The Chang’E-3 probe was made up of a lander and a rover named Yutu or Jade
Rabbit. The mission goals of the Chang’E-3 were first soft-landing, roving on lunar
surface and conducting in situ exploration including observing the Moon, the Earth
and space on the Moon. The Chang’E- 3 was launched at 01:30 2nd, Dec. 2013
in Xichang satellite launch center. The lunar orbit insertion was performed by the
Chang’E-3 probe at 17:53:06, Dec. 2013 to enter into 100 km circular LLO. The
lunar lander was landed successfully on the Moon at 21:11:14, Dec. 2013 and pretty
images of landing process taken by the descent camera was transferred back. The
Yutu rover was deployed at 04:35 15 Dec. 2013. After that, the lander and the lunar
rover conducted scientific and engineering exploration respectively.
The Chang’E-3 was the Chinese first soft lander on celestial body. It broke through
a lot of key technologies and served as a connecting link in the CLEP.