Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Chang'E-2 successfully inserted into lunar orbit

Dr. Yong-Chun Zheng of China's Academy of Sciences (NAOC) has reported, after a breaking maneuver performed at 0306 UT October 6, the Chang'E-2 lunar orbiter officially arrived in lunar orbit at 0340 UT.

Flight planners will soon perform a gradual series of breaking maneuvers near perilune to reduce the present preliminary 12 hour 100 × 8000 km orbit to the 100 × 15 km mission orbit.

Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP) flight directors then plan to begin low pass surveys of Sinus Iridum, on the northwest side of Mare Imbrium, possible landing site for the Chang'E-3 stationary lander and lunar rover in 2013.

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