Chang'e-5 T1 service module tightens its lunar orbit

The Chang'e-5 T1 service module (with profile of the Xiaofei "Little Flyer" reentry test vehicle that hitched a ride to the Moon in late October, in profile) has been inserted successfully in a 200 x 200 km polar lunar orbit. (Xiaofei returned to Earth November 1, eight days after launch onboard a Long March 3C booster).

Perhaps they just should have called it Chang'e-4.  But Beijing instead waited nearly until the October 24 launch of the Long March 3C rocket carrying Chang'e-5 T1 to the Moon before putting an official name to the engineering test. 

Part of this mission is still underway, though many who are interested outside China's official circles believed the awkwardly named composite mission came to an end when the Xiaofei ("Little Flyer") sample return and high-speed reentry test article arrived back on Earth, November 1.

Xiaofei is recovered after its eight day
journey around the Moon [Xinhua].

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) reports the service module of China's "unmanned test lunar orbiter entered a 127-minute orbit on Tuesday, after three orbital transfers since Sunday."

Using backup equipment from the Chang'e-3 together with test articles ahead of the Chang'e-5 sample return mission scheduled for 2017, the CNSA announced it had skipped over the "Chang'e-4" designation, originally a name for a back-up mission if Chang'e-3 had failed, and named the present intermediate test "Chang'e-5 T1." 

Based on released schematics and photographs of both Chang'e-3 and Chang'e-5 T1 vehicles while each was being prepared for launch, the "T1" service module now in lunar orbit does not resemble the earlier orbital science platforms Chang'e-1 or 2. It more likely resembles the now-familiar profile of the Chang'e-3 lander, without the legs.

"To decelerate the craft enough for entering its target orbit," CNSA reported, "the service module conducted three braking maneuvers on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

"After the circular orbit stabilizes," the T1 service module will continue in polar orbit, at an altitude of 200 km, "for tests to validate key technologies for the next lunar probe mission, Chang'e-5."

"The spacecraft has enough power remaining and is in sound condition," according to CNSA. 

"Technicians on Earth have exercised timely and stable control, with the tasks of tracing the service module and system tests progressing well."

Chang'e-5 T1 was launched on October 24, 2014, and "the service module was separated from the orbiter's Xiaofei return capsule, with the capsule returning to Earth after circling behind the moon during an eight-day mission.

"The service module reached the Earth-Moon second Lagrange Point (L2) in late November and left L2 point January 4, after completing all preset scientific tasks," CNSA reports.

"The orbiter is a test run for the final chapter of China's three step lunar program -- orbiting, landing and returning," CNSA announced. "The obtained data and validated re-entry technology will be used for the development of Chang'e-5, which is slated for launch around 2017.

Related Posts:

Chang'e-3 lander still operational on 1st year anniversary (December 16, 2014)

China celebrates successful “Xiaofei” (November 2, 2014)

China launches lunar sample return test mission (October 23, 2014)

Chang'e-3 lander and rover from LRO (March 4, 2014)

Chang'e-3 and Yutu survive first lunar night (January 14, 2014)

China's Jade Rabbit, it's time in the Sun (December 15, 2013)

Jade Rabbit successfully deployed to the lunar surface (December 14, 2013)

It's not bragging if you do it (December 9, 2013)

"Lunar Aspirations" - Beijing Review (December 9, 2013)

Chang'e-3 safely inserted into lunar orbit (December 6, 2013)

Chang'e-3 and LADEE: The Role of Serendipity (October 31, 2013)

Outstanding animation celebrates China's Chang'e-3 (October 29, 2013)

China's grand plan for lunar exploration (October 11, 2012)

ILOA to study deep space from Chang'e-3 (September 11, 2012)

China's Long March to the Moon (January 14, 2012)

China plans lunar research base (May 11, 2011)

Chang'e-2 arrives in mission orbit (October 9, 2010)

Chang'e-2 takes direct approach (October 1, 2010)

Chang'e-2 sets stage for future lunar missions (September 3, 2010)

Chang'e-1 research reported published (July 22, 2010)

6 of 8 Chang'e-3 science instruments now active

Students learn about the ongoing Chang'e-3 mission at a primary school in Ganyu, Jiangsu province, on Tuesday. Designers are pleased with the mission's success so far, as experiments have gone more smoothly than expected [Si Wei/China Daily].

Emily Lakdawalla of The Planetary Society has performed a herculean labor, today, pulling together many threads to deliver what might be the best possible description of a "lengthy press briefing by several members of the Chang'e 3 science team," Wednesday.

"I found it to be quite informative," Emily wrote, "not just about the mission but also about attitudes about Chinese space exploration and foreign cooperation. It was useful background for my participation in an hour-long panel discussion on China Radio International's "Today" program."

A link to her detailed summary follows the official China Daily description, below:

Wang Fan
China Daily

Six out of the eight pieces of scientific equipment deployed to the moon with the Chang'e-3 lunar mission have been activated by scientists and are functioning properly, according to scientists working on the mission.

Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, scientists said that the equipment aboard the Yutu lunar rover and the Chang'e-3 lander had so far been functioning as hoped, despite the unexpectedly rigorous conditions of the lunar environment.

"Except for the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and the visible and near-infrared imaging spectrometer, the instruments have all been activated and are undergoing tests and adjustments," said Su Yan, deputy designer of the Chang'e-3 ground applications system.

Zhang He, deputy designer of the probe, said though the temperature disparity is greater than scientists had anticipated, all the equipment on the moon is in "perfect" condition, and optical and ultraviolet-imaging experiments are under way.

Scientists with the ground applications system are expecting to receive a colossal quantity of original data from the rover and lander, which have independent channels to send signals, Su said. The earlier Chang'e-1 and Chang'e-2 craft only had one channel each, he said.

The mission's success so far has been a relief to Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar probe program. He said the whole process, including the launch, the soft landing, the separation of the rover and lander and the ongoing experiments, have gone "much smoother" than he had expected.

Read the full article at China Daily, HERE.

Big HT: to Emily Lakdawalla at The Planetary Society, for her well-translated transcription of Wednesday's press conference posted HERE.

Rumor: China postpones outyear lunar landings

Chang'e-3, now in lunar orbit, is scheduled to land on the Moon later this week [CCTV].

(Note Source is ChinaTimes, Taipei, Monday, December 9) A source from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) said China has made major adjustments to its lunar exploration program (CLEP), postponing its plan to carry Chinese astronauts to the surface of the moon.

The current exploration plan is that Chang'e 3 will arrive on the moon, as scheduled, and since investment has been made in Chang'e 4, that mission will take place in 2015 as scheduled.

Research and development for Chang'e 5 mission, however, has been halted, leading to the postponement of China's manned lunar missions. According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) plan, the Lunar Exploration Program consists of three phases — orbital, soft landing and automated sample return — which China hopes can be carried out successfully by 2020.

In 2010, after Chang'e 2 was launched, China's top expert for moon exploration and researcher at the Chinese Academy of Science, Ouyang Ziyuan, said the southern point of the moon is expected to be an ideal landing spot for a lander carrying astronauts. He noted that China's manned mission to the moon is unlikely to be realized by 2020.

In fact, he previously stated in 2006 that the country would be capable of taking humans to the moon between 2021 and 2025. However, on Jan. 9, 2013, Ouyang changed his mind, saying unmanned lunar missions will accumulate the necessary experience and skill for China's construction of a moon base and future manned missions, but the country has no timetable for a manned lunar landing.

In 2007, Luan Enjie, chief commander of China's Lunar Orbiter Project and former head of China National Space Administration, said China would not take humans to the moon in the next 20 years. Chinese astronauts are not projected to land on the moon until after 2030.