Chinese Lunar Exploration Programme (Phase-I)

Lunar surface image captured by Chang'E 1

In its white paper “China’s Space Activity” published in 2000 and then 2006, the Chinese government outlined its plan to explore the deep space, beginning with the exploration of the Moon and later the Mars and beyond. As the first step, China is planning to send unmanned probes to the Moon, through which relevant technologies for deeper space explorations are developed. This will later lead to landing an automated lunar rover on the Moon surface, and collecting and returning lunar soil samples to the Earth.

Chinese space scientists have outlined a three-step strategy in the lunar exploration programme:

Phase-I: To send one or more unmanned probes to the lunar orbit to carry out survey and mapping of the moon surface. The programme is scheduled between 2004 and 2010.
Phase-II: To send 1~2 lunar landers to the Moon surface, where they will deploy a lunar rover to explore areas around the landing spot. The first mission is scheduled in 2012~2014.
Phase-III: To send more lunar landers to the Moon surface, and collect samples of the Moon surface soil. The samples will then be returned to the Earth. The programme is scheduled to begin around 2017.
Some also suggested that following the success implementation of these three programme, China will eventually land astronauts to the Moon by 2020~2030, and establish a permanent lunar base afterwards. However, Chinese space officials are reluctant to talk about future plans beyond unmanned lunar explorations.

The first phase of the China Lunar Exploration Programme was initiated in 2004, with the first probe Chang’E 1 successfully launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre on 24 October 2007. The probe entered the lunar orbit on 5 November, and transmitted the first image of the lunar surface in late November. A second unmanned probe is scheduled to be sent to the lunar orbit in 2009.

Chronology

1991: Min Guirong, the chief scientist in the space section of the Chinese hi-tech development initiative Project 863, first suggested that China should develop lunar orbitor. A small research team was created to study feasibility of such a programme.

1995: Three scientists from the China Academy of Sciences (CAS) and China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) published the first report to on the need and feasibility of a Chinese lunar exploration project. They also illustrated the concept of a lunar orbitor based on the DFH-3 satellite bus.

7 April 1997: Three CAS members published “Suggestions for Developing China’s Lunar Exploration Technology”.

1998: The Committee of Science, Technology, and industries for National Defence (COSTIND) initiated preliminary study on lunar exploration.

November 2000: The “China’s Space Activities” white paper published by the Chinese government outlined three key areas in China’s space programme: satellites, human spaceflight, and deep space exploration. Lunar exploration was defined as the first step in China’s deep space exploration research.

2000: In the next three years, COSTIND organised various research projects to develop necessary technologies for lunar exploration, including the first Chinese lunar orbitor and its onboard application payload. The programme also outlined a three-step strategy in China’s lunar exploration project: orbiting, automated landing, and automated returning.

28 February 2003: COSTIND initiated preparation for the lunar exploration programme.

September 2003: The Chinese government approved Phase-I of the lunar exploration project, which aimed to send an orbitor probe to the Moon. Phase-II and -III were also listed in the state’s long-term planning for science and technology development.

23 January 2004: The Chinese Lunar Exploration Programme (CLEP) Phase-I was officially approved by the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

19 February 2004: A team consisting of officials from the COSTIND, CAS, China Aerospace Science & Technology Corporation (CASIC), the People’s Liberation Army General Armament Department (GAD), Ministry of Science & Technology, Ministry of Finance, and State Committee of Development and Reform was created to head the lunar exploration programme, which was officially named Chang’e Project after the Moon god in the Chinese mythology. The first launch of the lunar orbitor was scheduled to take place in 2007, followed by 2~3 orbiting missions between 2009 and 2012.

24 October 2007: The Chang’e 1 (CE-1) lunar orbiting probe was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre (XLSC) by a CZ-3A three-stage space launch vehicle (SLV) at 10:05 GMT (18:05 Beijing Time). The spacecraft entered the Super-Synchronous Transfer Orbit (SSTO) at 10:29 GMT and its solar panel was expanded successfully at 10:59 GMT. After circling in the SSTO around the Earth for 1.5 times, the spacecraft fired its solid rocket for the first orbit changing manoeuvre at 09:55 GMT on 25 October. This was followed by another three orbit changing manoeuvres, which eventually place the spacecraft on the lunar transfer orbit at 09:28 GMT on 31 October 2008. The Chang’e 1 left the lunar transfer orbit and entered the lunar orbit on 5 November. On arrive to the lunar orbit, thrusters of the Chang’e 1 fired to slow the spacecraft down. After three slowing down fires, the spacecraft’s velocity was finally reduced to 5,724km/hour. This settled it into its final orbiting pattern, circling at 200km above the Moon’s surface once every 127 minutes.

1 March 2009: Chang’e 1 carried out a controlled crash into the Moon surface at GMT 08:13:10 under the command of the Beijing Aerospace Command & Control Centre (BACC), ending its 16-month flight mission. The impact spot is located at 1.5°S 52.36°E.

Missions

Chang'E 1 (24 Oct 2007 - 1 March 2009)