Moon landing 2013 (Chang'e 3)

[Camacha]

You've phrased this as a fact, but it's not. It's an opinion.

I think it would be safe to call it a fact. Science fiction has provided a lot of drive and ideas to science fact, maybe even more so than the other way around.

Please do remember that, before the space race, rocket development was also fueled by a nerd fantasy of the ultimate weapon. Without that, the whole space race would not have materialised.

[Guest]

Well NASA or America, whatever, the Americans can surely wake up to this.

We are more worried about Obama care and shutting down than government right now. Chinese made toys are of no concern, unless they have lead in the paint. We can't have our children chewing on lead paint toys from China. Only lead paint from America will be allowed. Also, could someone please remove all of the gluten from our food? Unrelated : We are sick and tired of our baseball players getting caught using steroids. Would someone please teach them how to properly cheat on a drug test? Have we run out of people than can provide clean urine samples?

Edited September 29, 2013 by Otis

[m1xte]

I really hope that they'll target the apollo 11 landing site and bring back the flag

[ArmchairGravy]

I think it would be safe to call it a fact. Science fiction has provided a lot of drive and ideas to science fact, maybe even more so than the other way around.

It definitely has been Sci-Fi providing the inspiration. Most early rocket scientists were fans of Verne and Welles and made the link between imagination and reality.

One of the recent challenges to SF writers is to get away from the dystopias and back to the Big Ideas.

http://www.worldpolicy.org/journal/fall2011/innovation-starvation

[SargeRho]

I really hope that they'll target the apollo 11 landing site and bring back the flag

Which would be theft. Also useless, because the flag is white by now.

[Temstar]

Which would be theft. Also useless, because the flag is white by now.

Not to mentioned toppled over and probably covered in a layer of dust due to the ascent stage taking off, so it would be much much harder to find.

They started planting the flag further away from the LM starting from 12.

[Joshington]

Which would be theft. Also useless, because the flag is white by now.

Hehe, the astronaut holds the flag over his head and yells, "WE SURRENDER!"

[SpaceSphereOfDeath]

Yay more SCIENCE!

BRITAIN, INVEST MORE INTO YOUR SPACE PROGRAM GAWD DAMN IT, I KNOW TEA POWERED RCS AND SCONE LANDING LEGS ARE ALL GOOD, BUT COME ON > .

( disclaimer: I'm British, and I think tea powered RCS is a great idea, as for scone landing legs, not so much.

Anyway, back on topic,

I really hope this re-starts the space race, maybe Russia will get involved and push progress further

[Canopus]

I really hope that they'll target the apollo 11 landing site and bring back the flag

Who? The chinese? Its just a rover and a lander. It won't come back.

[czokletmuss]

More news:

BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- China is inviting the public to name a spacecraft on board China's Chang'e-3 lunar probe, expected to be launched by the end of the year, a senior space scientist said on Wednesday.

The public can submit proposals at www.xinhuanet.com and www.qq.com starting Wednesday, and the name will be unveiled in November after several selection rounds, said Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar probe program.

"The spacecraft, designed with a mass of 140 kg, will be fueled by solar energy," Wu said, adding that some prize-winners will be invited to watch the launch of Chang'e-3 in person.

The craft will be able to endure vacuum conditions, intense radiation and extreme temperatures ranging from minus 180 degrees Celsius to 150 degrees Celsius on the surface of the moon, the designer said.

The spacecraft will be equipped with devices such as a panorama camera and radar measurement equipment, according to Wu, adding that the craft will run automatically and carry out patrol and detection missions on the lunar surface.

The Chang'e-3 moon probe is expected to land and stay on the moon as part of the second stage of the country's lunar probe program, marking the first time a Chinese spacecraft will land on the surface of an extraterrestrial body.

China launched Chang'e-1 in 2007 and Chang'e-2 in 2010. The first probe retrieved a large amount of scientific data and a completed map of the moon, while the second created a full high-resolution map of the moon and a high-definition image of the Sinus Iridium, one of the moon's features.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/sci/2013-09/25/c_132749975.htm

AsianScientist (Sep. 3, 2013) – China’s next moon mission, Chang’e-3, is scheduled to be launched by the end of 2013. The mission will see a Chinese space probe land on a celestial body for the first time.

“Chang’e-3 has officially entered its launch stage, following its research and manufacture period,†the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense announced on Wednesday.

The launch will take place from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, said Ye Peijian, chief scientist of deep space exploration at the China Academy of Space Technology, in a 2012 interview. According to Ye, since the probe will make a soft landing on the moon’s surface, the use of parachutes has been ruled out due to the moon’s vacuum. Instead, it will employ an anti-thrust mechanism to reduce the speed of the engine.

“The Chang’e-3 mission makes best use of a plethora of innovative technology. It is an extremely difficult mission, that carries great risk,†said Ma Xingrui, head of China’s space exploration body and chief commander of the lunar program, as reported by the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Five landing sites have been shortlisted for the lunar exploration orbiter to make a soft-landing. The rover has a payload capacity of 20 kg, and will be equipped with eight instruments including a panoramic camera and a lunar exploration radar. During its three-month mission life, it will transmit video in real time and analyze soil samples.

China launched Chang’e-1 in 2007 and Chang’e-2 in 2010. The first retrieved lunar data and carried out an initial mapping of the surface, while the second created a full high-resolution map of the moon.

After Chang’e-3, Chang’e-4 will be launched. Together, they will complete the task of landing on the moon in the second phase of China’s lunar exploration program. According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, Chang’e-5 will be launched in 2017 and will send back samples of moon rock to earth for analysis from a depth of two meters.

A 2012 white paper relating to the Chinese space program stated that the final aim of the lunar exploration program was a possible human landing on the moon sometime after 2020.

http://www.asianscientist.com/topnews/change-3-finally-land-moon-2013/

Edited October 1, 2013 by czokletmuss

[Dockillar]

Good for them, to me, it doesn't matter the cultures, only two things mater, 1, science. 2, pretty pictures. I think people could agree with that.

[czokletmuss]

Fresh info with picture:

China offered a rare glimpse into its secretive space programme on Tuesday, displaying a model of a lunar rover that will explore the moon's surface in an upcoming mission.Beijing has ambitious space goals, including plans to send its first probe to land on the moon by the end of this year, state media reported in August. The gold-coloured rover model, with six wheels and wing-like solar panels, attracted admiring crowds at the opening of the China International Industry Fair in Shanghai. The rover's designer, Shanghai Aerospace Systems Engineering Research Institute, said the real thing would be lifted aloft by a Long March 3B rocket scheduled to be launched in early December.

Source: http://www.france24.com/en/20131105-china-shows-off-moon-rover-model-before-space-launch

[bradley101]

Have you guys noticed that the OP is titled Moon Landing 2013 not the potential second space race.

[NASAFanboy]

Have you guys noticed that the OP is titled Moon Landing 2013 not the potential second space race.

So what? It might spark it.

As much as I dislike nationalism, I'm afraid it's the only ticket for NASA to get funding from politicians. A second space race is the only way for the space agency to relive its glory days.

[bradley101]

So what? It might spark it.

As much as I dislike nationalism, I'm afraid it's the only ticket for NASA to get funding from politicians. A second space race is the only way for the space agency to relive its glory days.

If you could call them glory days they achieved little science value Apollo brought a few hundred KG off moon rock home but they were really flag planting expeditions. But we learned a lot about soft human landings although that experience was never used.

[czokletmuss]

In this article (http://www.spudislunarresources.com/blog/china-america-and-the-moon-boldness-and-abdication/) you can find an interesting analysis of China-USA relations in context of space exploration. Plus, you can download very, very interesting article from American Aerospace here (http://www.aerospaceamerica.org/Documents/AerospaceAmerica-PDFs-2013/November-2013/Feature_ChinasBoldLunarPlan_AANov2013.pdf), in which the Chang'e 3 descent module is analyzed and compared to Apollo LEM. Did you know that CNSA will be putting on Moon object which weights 40% of LEM mass? The Chinese Moon landing in the next decade may not be so far fatched after all.

[nhnifong]

What science goals does Chang'e 3 have? Is it just a national pride project or does it seek specific answers to questions about the Moon?

[Kryten]

It's mostly a technology development mission-laying ground for the Chang'e 5 sample return probe in a few years. That's not to say it doesn't have a reasonable science payload, but the science objectives are all very vague; 'lunar surface material composition and resource survey, Sun-Earth-Moon space environment detection and lunar-based astronomical observation'. Other than the UV telescope that I think has already been mentioned in this thread, most of the instruments seem to be the kind of thing Chang'e 5 might use to select samples.

[NASAFanboy]

It's mostly a technology development mission-laying ground for the Chang'e 5 sample return probe in a few years. That's not to say it doesn't have a reasonable science payload, but the science objectives are all very vague; 'lunar surface material composition and resource survey, Sun-Earth-Moon space environment detection and lunar-based astronomical observation'. Other than the UV telescope that I think has already been mentioned in this thread, most of the instruments seem to be the kind of thing Chang'e 5 might use to select samples.

The Chinese will likely succeed on this mission, and I wish them the best of luck. This will be a momumental achievement if they are to land men on the Moon by 2030, and establish a base - a goal discussed by many Chinese space officials, very similar to the NASA goal of Mars by the mid-2030's and a base by 2040.

Otherwise, I doubt that this mission will expose many new "thrilling" facts about the moon, but yes, it will likely give us some data that could be somewhat useful for future space exploration. To me, it's more of a technological testbed and a "propaganda display". Tons of fireworks and spectacle, but not that much facts. Hopefully it gives the US a "Sputnik moment", which forces us into another space race (Which will grealty benifit the human race).

As of now, I believe the circumstances are just perfect for another space race. Firstly...

- Many Americans fear Chinese power. Yes, the ol' "Red Scare" and stuff is over, but many people still hate and despise the Chinese government, especially over issues such as Tibet and their internet firewall. Trust me, China is like a capatilist dictactorship rotting inside from corruption and pollution. Is this the model of a country you want as the top power?

- "The Chinese stole our jobs!" - Random obnoxious American on the streets.

- The Chinese are seen as a competitor for military power by the United States. This is also why DARPA is building dropships, railguns, exoskeletons, invisibility cloaks, stealth ships, and hypersonic orbital spaceplanes.

- Many politicans are already starting to feed off this "red scare" of China. NASA is already using this "China card" to convience politicans to fund it's SLS/Orion progammes.

We need another space race. It's the only way to get more funding for NASA. In the "post space race" years, NASA has recieved 0.5% of the Federal Budget and has laquished in LEO. At the climax of the space race, NASA got 4.5%, and managed to land on the moon in 10 years, when ten years ago to 1969, no such space travel technology existed.

If NASA was once again to get a mere one percent of the Federal budget, many people believe that we could be walking on Mars by 2020. Theres even several scientists who believe, that with Apollo-era funding, men could be on Mars in 5 years.

From what I've heard, the space agency is retaining the Constellation vision for Mars, in which a base is established no later than 2040. Think of how fast we could do it if we had another space race...2025?

Edited November 8, 2013 by NASAFanboy

[magnemoe]

The Chinese will likely succeed on this mission, and I wish them the best of luck. This will be a momumental achievement if they are to land men on the Moon by 2030, and establish a base - a goal discussed by many Chinese space officials, very similar to the NASA goal of Mars by the mid-2030's and a base by 2040.

Otherwise, I doubt that this mission will expose many new "thrilling" facts about the moon, but yes, it will likely give us some data that could be somewhat useful for future space exploration. To me, it's more of a technological testbed and a "propaganda display". Tons of fireworks and spectacle, but not that much facts. Hopefully it gives the US a "Sputnik moment", which forces us into another space race (Which will grealty benifit the human race).

That I really would love would be an moon polar landing, the ice should be an interesting resource if nothing else for the LEO-GEO run.

[deadshot462]

Hope everything goes well for this mission. Can't wait to see those ground pictures (if China releases them). Maybe the US will want to send a Moon ground mission as well after seeing this happen.

[czokletmuss]

What science goals does Chang'e 3 have? Is it just a national pride project or does it seek specific answers to questions about the Moon?

Energy will be provided by a solar panel, allowing the rover to operate through lunar days. The six-wheeled rover is designed to explore an area of 3 square kilometres during its 3-month mission, with a maximum travelling distance of 10 km (6.2 mi). The rover will carry a radar unit on its underside, allowing for the first direct measurement of the structure and depth of the lunar soil down to a depth of 30 m (98 ft), and investigation of the lunar crust structure down to several hundred meters' depth.[18] It will also carry an alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and an infrared spectrometer.

First such radar on the Moon ever. Is it much? I think it it considering it's just the third Chinese mission to Luna.

[Kryten]

To be fair, I think that has a lot more to do with ground-penetrating radar not even existing last time a moon rover was launched.

[czokletmuss]

Probably. So what? It's going on Moon now, which means we may get a whole new interesting data.

[NASAFanboy]

Probably. So what? It's going on Moon now, which means we may get a whole new interesting data.

I'm extremely interested in what lies under the lunar surface.

Is there any chance of caves?