China Outer Space Science, Technology and Explorations: News & Updates

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Unfortunately the launch failed. 2nd stage lost control after separation.

​

https://twitter.com/x/status/1110844525533106177

India's 27 March 2019 First ASAT Test V1.1B

First posted 27 March2019; Updated 28 March 2019

Table of Contents

1. Key Data
2. A Strong Unveiled Outer Space Message From Modi To Xi
3. Commentary
4. Conclusion

Key Data

Wed, 27 Mar 2019 09:09:21 +0000

the launch site was Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam Island which ties in with the image posted.

http://satobs.org/seesat/Mar-2019/0132.html
​

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D2qSHW2WsAUbcL1.jpg
▲ 1. The launch site was Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam Island

Wed, 27 Mar 2019 07:24:56 -0400

the most likely target of India's #ASAT test was Microsat-r (2019-006A). My analysis shows the test must have happened near 5:40 UT when the sat was moving northwards towards Abdul Kalam:

http://satobs.org/seesat/Mar-2019/0138.html
​

https://i.imgur.com/AYMhKBj.jpg
▲ 2. NAVAREA

3:02 AM - 27 Mar 2019

MICROSAT-R, in a 260 x 282 km, 89.9 deg orbit. Would have been ascending over NOTAM area at ~0530 UTC, within the 0430-0830 UTC window. It should have been operational, facilitating tracking.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D2qDHCfWwAsimgp.jpg
▲ 3. Target satellite MICROSAT-R on 27 March 2019 at 5:36 UTC

https://twitter.com/TSKelso/status/1110844419333337088
​

• MICROSAT-R satellite listed with a launch mass of 740 kg. It was just launched on 24 January 2019, as optical remote sensing satellite.
• The Fengyun 1C weather satellite that China destroyed in 2007 was 750 kg.

A Strong Unveiled Outer Space Message From Modi To Xi

By adding the flight path of the Chinese OS-M1 maiden flight with the satellite Lingque-1B from Jiuquan SLC launched just four hours latter, on March 27, 2019 at 09:39 UTC.

With the NAVAREA issued for the experimental flight trial scheduled from 27 March 2019, 4:30 to 8:30 UTC.

It is obvious that the message was intended to President Xi.

And this means that in case of a military conflict, China will no longer be able to easily replace lost satellites with rapid reaction launchers such as previously thought, by using CZ-11 SLV or the new new OS-M1 SLV. Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO) satellite launches that must overflight the Bay of Bengal would be intercepted before any payload could be delivered into space.

For now, peace is the only viable option for the two Asian Giants, as demonstrated over the last 12 millenia of coexistence.

https://i.imgur.com/7B1duys.jpg ; https://imgur.com/a/02S2WG3
▲ 4. Chinese OS-M1 maiden flight with the satellite Lingque-1B from Jiuquan SLC

https://i.imgur.com/UPJgJkP.jpg ; https://imgur.com/a/02S2WG3
▲ 5. Indian NAVAREA issued for the experimental flight trial scheduled from 27 March 2019, 4:30 to 8:30 UTC

https://i.imgur.com/4ckVPiz.jpg ; https://imgur.com/a/02S2WG3
▲ 6. Indian message intended to President Xi.


Commentary

Statistically, that is over 12'000 years of human recorded demographic history, China has always lead, second to none.


No wonder, as India was always lagging so far behind the Chinese Civilization over the past 12 millenia, and today's final acknowledgement of China as their leader, though belated, shows their awakening.

https://imgur.com/z5YzYgm

https://i.imgur.com/z5YzYgm.mp4 ; https://imgur.com/gallery/aOhIuEF ; https://themasites.pbl.nl/tridion/en/themasites/hyde/basicdrivingfactors/population/index-2.html
▲ 7. Population Through the Ages.
12'000 years of Population estimates are from the History Database of the Global Environment (HYDE).


Conclusion

And no surprise either, India always following the steps of China, 12 years latter than China's 2007 first ASAT test, and 6 years latter than the 2013 Chang'e-3 lunar lander and rover!


While we are still waiting for India's first indigenous astronaut, 16 years after Shenzhou-5...

 

[JSCh]

DR6: LAMOST Spectra Enters Era of Tens of Millions
Mar 29, 2019

On March 27, 2019, LAMOST released its Sixth Data Release (DR6) to both its domestic users and international partners. It includes all spectra obtained during the pilot survey and the previous six years' regular survey. In LAMOST DR6, 4902 plates were observed and a total number of 11.26 million spectra were released, which included 9.38 million high-quality spectra with SNR ≥ 10.

In addition, a catalogue which provided stellar parameters of 6.37 million stars was also released in this data set. DR6 has resulted, up to now, in the largest public spectral set and stellar parameter catalogue worldwide. Any one that is interested in LAMOST DR6 can log on at http://dr6.lamost.org/.

Until now, LAMOST is the first project obtaining more than 10 million spectra worldwide, which is twice the released number of the other spectral survey project in the world.

Exceeding10 million spectra is a landmark event for LAMOST survey. Since then, the release of LAMOST spectra has officially entered the era of tens of millions.

The progress of LAMOST survey and scientific research results have attracted widespread concerns and interests of the international astronomical astronomical community. Until now, there are 769 LAMOST users from 124 research institutes and universitites in China, the United States, Germany, Belgium and other countries to carry out scientific research. Up to 438 refereed papers have been published using LAMOST spectral data and 24 more are still under review.

LAMOST results in a final catalogue of more than 10 million spectra after its six years' regular survey, which is a valuable resource for a variety of astronomical fields. With the obtained data, scientists create a "digital Galaxy" for the future research on the structure, formation and evolution of Milky way and other galaxies.

Footprint of the LAMOST pilot survey and its previous six years' survey. (Image by NAOC)


DR6: LAMOST Spectra Enters Era of Tens of Millions---Chinese Academy of Sciences

 

[cirr]

China's commercial carrier rocket finishes engine test

2019-04-03 15:48:00 Xinhua Editor : Gu Liping

China's first carrier rocket for commercial use, the Smart Dragon-1 (SD-1), has finished its engine test, paving way for its maiden flight in the first half of 2019, according to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT).

The rocket is the first member of the Dragon series commercial carrier rockets family to be produced by CALT. It has a total length of 19.5 meters, a diameter of 1.2 meters and a takeoff weight of 23.1 tonnes. It is capable of sending over 150 kg payloads to the sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 km.

It took only six months to produce the rocket and 24 hours to prepare it for launch. It can be used for launching both single satellite or multiple satellites at the time.

Besides the solid-propellant Smart Dragon rocket series, the CALT will also develop liquid-propellant commercial rockets with larger payloads.

http://www.ecns.cn/news/2019-04-03/detail-ifzhaszu6979469.shtml

 

[Galactic Penguin SST]

India placed 104 satellite in one mission still china is ahead.
India put multiple satellites in 3 orbit in today's mission still china is ahead.
India successfully reached MARS in copy book manner in first attempt and china failed measurably still china is ahead.
ISRO tested Scram jet engine to be used in rocket but still China is ahead.
India tested reusable rocket which will launch satellite and come back still china is ahead.
India's launch costs cheapest. India's new vehicle will bring down cost to 10% of current cost. New vehicle is coming this year still China is ahead.

So let us bow down to mighty China because they are much ahead of India and India will never be able to catch them.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1112776139444047873

https://i.imgur.com/bwnxG6Y.jpg ; http://linkspace.com.cn/img/slider/banner.jpg ; http://linkspace.com.cn/#body ;
▲ 1. LinkSpace did a very successful test on rocket recycling on March 27, 2019. It will support us to open the next PLAN. Thank you Dr. @robert_zubrin for being here to witness this exciting milestone. Later, NewLine Baby(RLV-T5) will undergo higher flight tests in the future. 1 April 2019

Commentary

Self-propangandist, beware, as ISRO might not even secure the most coveted fourth place as a spacefaring superpower!

https://i.imgur.com/x1Gc2y1.jpg ; https://imgur.com/a/m0osGpl
▲ 2. Artistic illustration of a DPRK manned space launcher at Sohae SLC, launchpad LC-1.

▲ 3. The only available launch pad, as of April 2019: Sohae.

 

[JSCh]

Scientists expect astronomical breakthroughs with FAST
Xinhua, April 4, 2019

Photo taken on Sept. 11, 2018 shows China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) in southwest China's Guizhou province. [Photo/Xinhua]

An international team of astronomers are making observation plans for the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), by far the largest telescope ever built, expecting discoveries to change human understanding of the universe.

The telescope, located in a naturally deep and round karst depression in southwest China's Guizhou province, was completed in September 2016, and is now under commissioning, with normal operation to commence later in 2019, according to the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC).

During testing and early science operation, FAST started making astronomical discoveries, particularly of pulsars of various kinds, including millisecond pulsars, binaries and gamma-ray pulsars, said Li Di, chief scientist of the Radio Astronomy Division of NAOC.

FAST is the world's most sensitive radio telescope.

Scientists have proposed ambitious observational objectives through FAST, such as gravitational waves, exoplanets, ultra-high energy cosmic rays and interstellar matter, to advance human knowledge of astronomy, astrophysics and fundamental physics.

An international team of scientists' plans on how to best apply the unprecedented power of the FAST radio telescope were recently published in a mini-volume of Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, an NAOC journal.

"Planning new observations to find new targets and new kinds of objects beyond the reach of existing facilities is one of the most exciting jobs of a professional astronomer," Li said.

The first major sky survey of the telescope, the Commensal Radio Astronomy FAST Survey (CRAFTS), is being planned. The key innovation of CRAFTS is its capability to simultaneously record pulsar, hydrogen and fast radio burst data streams, Li said.

Deeper surveys are also being planned, in particular, those of the Galactic plane and the M31, our largest neighboring galaxy, Li said.

"Discoveries such as new pulsars and unknown structure in the interstellar gas of the Milky Way have already been made, with more coming day by day. The capabilities of FAST are living up to our expectations," Li said.

Scientists believe more discoveries will be made by FAST telescope, going beyond expectations.

"When such a powerful new telescope begins its scientific observations, unexpected signals and effects often emerge," Li said.

The international team has made plans for difficult and demanding observations, going beyond what has been done by other telescopes in the past. These observations may lead to unexpected discoveries, because of their ambitious and challenging performance requirements, Li said.

"As these observation projects will be launched over the next few years, FAST will have an impact on many areas of astronomy and astrophysics around the world. Although we cannot predict what it will discover, the telescope may profoundly change our understanding of the universe," Li added.

 

[JSCh]

中国航天科技集团
今天 18:24 来自 360安全浏览器 已编辑
【“胖五”高清大图来了！长征五号运载火箭整装待发】作为今年中国航天的重头戏之一，长征五号运载火箭的复飞一直是大众关注的焦点。今天，让我们随着记者的镜头，一起走进天津新一代运载火箭产业化基地长征五号总装测试车间，看看我们的“胖五”现在怎么样了？

China Aerospace Science and Technology Group
Today 18:24

[The Long March 5 carrier rocket is ready to go.] As one of the highlights of China's space flight this year, the relaunch of the Long March 5 carrier rocket has been the focus of public attention. Today, let us walk into the test assembly workshop of the Long March No. 5 of Tianjin's new generation carrier rocket industrialization base with the reporter's lens to see how our "Chubby Five" is doing now?

 

[JSCh]

Researchers Observe Formation of a Magnetar 6.5 Billion Light Years Away
April 12, 2019

​

Photo by Chandra X-Ray Observatory
Researchers used X-ray images like this one to identify the formation of a magnetar. Different colors represent different levels of X-ray energy detected by the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A University of Arkansas researcher is part of a team of astronomers who have identified an outburst of X-ray emission from a galaxy approximately 6.5 billion light years away, which is consistent with the merger of two neutron stars to form a magnetar — a large neutron star with an extremely powerful magnetic field. Based on this observation, the researchers were able to calculate that mergers like this happen roughly 20 times per year in each region of a billion light years cubed.

The research team, which includes Bret Lehmer, assistant professor of physics at the University of Arkansas, analyzed data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, NASA’s flagship X-ray telescope.

The Chandra Deep Field-South survey includes more than 100 X-ray observations of a single area of the sky over a period of more than 16 years to collect information about galaxies throughout the universe. Lehmer, who has worked with the observatory for 15 years, collaborated with colleagues in China, Chile and the Netherlands, and at Pennsylvania State University and the University of Nevada. The study was published in Nature.

A neutron star is a small, very dense star, averaging around 12 miles in diameter. Neutron stars are formed by the collapse of a star massive enough to produce a supernova, but not massive enough to become a black hole. When two neutron stars merge to become a magnetar, the resulting magnetic field is 10 trillion times stronger than a kitchen magnet.

“Neutron stars are mysterious because the matter in them is so extremely dense and unlike anything reproduceable in a laboratory,” Lehmer explained. “We do not yet have a good understanding of the physical state of the matter in neutron stars. Mergers involving neutron stars produce lots of unique data that gives us clues about the nature of neutron stars themselves and what happens when they collide.”

A previous discovery of two neutron stars merging, which used gravitational waves and gamma rays to make the observation, gave astronomers new insight into these objects. The research team used this new information to look for patterns in Chandra Observatory’s X-ray data that were consistent with what they learned about merging neutron stars.

The researchers found an outburst of X-rays in the data from the Chandra Deep Field-South survey. After ruling out other possible sources of the X-rays, they determined the signals came from the process of two neutron stars forming a magnetar.

“A key piece of evidence is how the signal changed over time,” said Lehmer. “It had a bright phase that plateaued and then dropped off in a very specific way. That is exactly what you’d expect from a magnetar that is rapidly losing its magnetic field through radiation.”

Similar calculations about the rate of neutron star mergers have been made based on the mergers detected by gravitational waves and gamma rays, strengthening the case for using X-ray data to find such exotic merger events in the universe.


Researchers Observe Formation of a Magnetar 6.5 Billion Light Years Away | University of Arkansas

Y. Q. Xue, X. C. Zheng, Y. Li, W. N. Brandt, B. Zhang, B. Luo, B.-B. Zhang, F. E. Bauer, H. Sun, B. D. Lehmer, X.-F. Wu, G. Yang, X. Kong, J. Y. Li, M. Y. Sun, J.-X. Wang, F. Vito. A magnetar-powered X-ray transient as the aftermath of a binary neutron-star merger. Nature (2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1079-5​

 

[JSCh]

Scientists Realize High-precision Hydrogen Clock Signal Transmission via 200km Desert Urban Fiber Link---Chinese Academy of Sciences
Apr 05, 2019

In their experiments, the 10MHz and 1PPS signals from hydrogen clock were transmitted to two observatories that are 200km apart through the phase-stabilized fiber link.

The noise source of the urban fiber under dessert environment was analyzed and studied in detail. Through optimizing systematic feedback parameters, the frequency stability is up to 8E-14 at 1s and 1E–16 at 1000 s, and time stability is 1.2ps at 1000s.

The experimental results are quite convincing and impressive. For the first time, joint transmission over 200km of time-frequency signals was realized in the very tough conditions.

Studying the limiting factors that affect the performance of time-frequency transmission over desert urban fiber link and exploring the key technical difficulties, it may provide a possible solution for long-distance time & frequency synchronization under other harsh environments.

The verification experiment has played an important role in satellite orbit measurement based on Connected Elements Interferometry.

The research was supported by Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai Sailing program.

Fig. The Allan deviation and time deviation of 200km desert urban fiber link (Image by SIOM)​

 

[JSCh]

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. reported the successful testing of CZ-6A first stage core engine at 15 April.

 

[JSCh]

China to send probes to Mars and Jupiter
By Deng Xiaoci Source:Global Times Published: 2019/4/16 22:08:41

Missions planned to return lunar, Martian samples to Earth

​

Scientists have been wondering about the origin of Jupiter's bolts since NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft flew past Jupiter in March 1979.Photo: VCG

China's deep space exploration will go beyond the moon and Mars to reach Jupiter in the future, according to Ye Peijian, the country's leading aerospace expert and chief consultant to China's lunar and Mars probes.

Ye, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief scientist with the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Co (CAST), made the remarks during a lecture at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics on Thursday, CAST's WeChat public account reported on Monday.

"China will launch the Chang'e-5 lunar probe atop the Long March-5 carrier rocket, whose mission is to return samples from the moon to Earth. Also we are planning to carry out a sample-returning mission to Mars, and to send a probe to Jupiter in the future," Ye said.

Sun Zezhou, chief architect for the Chang'e-4 lunar probe, also attended the event. According to Sun, payloads carried by the Chang'e-4 probe are all in normal working order, and the probe has collected a lot of valid data, which meets the designed goals.

As of Thursday, the Yutu II lunar rover has "walked" a total of 178 meters on the moon, Sun said.

Some may question the speed of the lunar rover, given it landed on the far side of the moon in January, four months ago.

"Yutu II is not slow at all," Pang Zhihao, an expert in space exploration technology, told the Global Times on Tuesday, saying that the rover prioritizes safety on the lunar surface by design and it is selecting the most research-valuable path through a rather comprehensive calculation, which takes time.

Sun noted at the event that not only the Chang'e-5 lunar probe mission will be launched by the end of 2019, but also development and research work for further missions, including the exploration of the lunar poles is underway, which will pave the way for the future building of a research station on the moon.

Sun, who is also in charge of designing the Mars probes, revealed that a probe which is similar but twice as heavy as the Yutu II will be deployed.

The Mars probe will weigh around 200 kilograms, and have better mobility than the Yutu II.

Pang said that starting from Earth, it takes four to five days to reach the moon, and at least eight months to get to Mars. This means that transmitting a signal from the moon takes only a second, but it takes some 20 minutes from Mars.

"So the Mars rover must have better autonomous navigation and control capability," Pang noted.

Also, one unique challenge on Mars is its devastating dust storms, the worst of which could be comparable to a force 12 typhoon on Earth.

Such dust storms occur almost every year on the Red Planet and can last for some three months each time, Pang said. "The Mars probe has to have a better storm-resistance system, whereas Yutu II does not need to worry about it."

So far, the Mars probe program is going smoothly, and the program's flight products have entered the final assembly and testing phase. The program's first probe will be launched by next year, Sun said. "We wish to land on Mars by 2021 in a safe and reliable fashion to conduct probe missions."

 

[qwerrty]

the-japan-news.com
BAIC Group shoots for moon
The Yomiuri Shimbun
1-2 minutes
The next frontier for automakers could be the moon.

BAIC Group is working with China’s Lunar Exploration Project to set up a laboratory for joint technology development, the company said Tuesday at the Auto Shanghai 2019 show in Shanghai. The laboratory will provide support for BAIC’s development of a planetary rover, it said.

BAIC and other Chinese companies are trying to tap into an $8 billion national space budget that’s second only to the United States.

China wants to be one of the world’s top three aerospace powers in about a decade, and the government is working on landing Chinese “taikonauts” on the moon by the 2030s. The Chang’e-4 probe landed on the far side of the moon in January.

BAIC’s announcement comes a month after Toyota Motor Corp. said it was teaming up with Japan’s space agency to build a lunar rover.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the country’s largest carmaker are working to build a six-wheeled, self-driving transporter that can carry two humans for a distance of 10,000 kilometers by 2029.Speech

toyota

==============================
long march 9 technical details
https://t.co/hQBpqKPaHa

 

[JSCh]

Visitors get a taste of Mars at Gansu base
By ZHANG YANGFEI/MA JINGNA | China Daily | Updated: 2019-04-18 07:16

A staff member poses in a mock space suit at the C Space Plan Mars simulation base in Jinchang, Gansu province, on Wednesday. THOMAS PETER/REUTERS

Simulated installation provides a hands-on experience, inspires youth

A simulated Mars base officially opened on Wednesday in Gansu province, aiming to popularize science and boost interest in space exploration among youth.

The site, covering 67 square kilometers in Jinchang, contains nine main parts, including an airlock module, a general control module and a biological module, and can simulate the Mars environment to teach astronauts how to survive.

Five sections, featuring space communication, extraterrestrial survival, space exploration, living in space and space development, will also be established where visitors can fully immerse themselves in the Mars experience.

Wang Jiantai, Party chief of Jinchang, said the base is a first in space education for tourists, Mars-themed tourism, astronomical research and moviemaking.

The base is a part of the country's C Space Plan, an education project for Chinese youngsters launched in October. Located 20 kilometers from the city center, the base was developed on land that resembles Martian conditions with its unique landscape and climate.

"We have designed a series of experiential, interesting and spreadable approaches to kindle people's interest and enthusiasm toward science, exploration and innovation, especially young people," said Zhao Tianshu, director of the project's education system.

In addition to allowing visitors to experience a landing on another planet, conduct extraterrestrial experiments and go about routine life in space, the base also creates dramatic scenarios for role-playing.

Bai Fan, the founder of the project, said the base is intended to boost courage as its core value and to inspire young people to face unknown challenges. They will have a more interesting and creative study experience by role-playing and teamwork during the visit, he said.

"Our science communication needs a more realistic, interactive model to arouse the youth's passion for the starry sky and help them put that passion into practice," Bai said.

Feng Chunping, executive deputy director of the China Center for Aerospace Science and Technology International Communications, said youth are key to the future of China's space exploration, and aerospace science education plays a crucial role.

But traditional education has tended to focus on displays of scientific results or screening films while failing to provide interactive opportunities, she said.

"It is not easy to make science communication attractive and interesting while maintaining precise and informative. Only by combining innovative thinking with precise science will it be possible to produce truly outstanding science communication products. The opening of the base is a new model for popularizing aerospace science."

Ma Xi'e, a 12-year-old student from a middle school in Jinchang, said she looks forward to visiting the base and feeling the mysteries of space.

"I will be able to try on a space suit, feel the space capsule and experience walking in space. These activities make space less mysterious and fill me with curiosity," she said.

​

 

[JSCh]

China's aerospace progress helps promote economic, social development
Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-17 18:24:25|Editor: zh

BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China's aerospace progress has a close connection with the country's economic and social development and helps improve people's lives, said an official with the China National Space Administration (CNSA) Wednesday.

More than 1 billion people check the weather forecast based on data sent back by China's Fengyun meteorological satellites every day, said Zhao Jian, deputy director of the Department of System Engineering of CNSA, at a press conference about the Space Day of China, which will fall on April 24.

The new generation Fengyun-4 geostationary meteorological satellite, which is able to generate a regional image every minute, plays an important role in weather forecasts and early warning and monitoring of natural disasters, Zhao said.

China's Gaofen-4, which is a high-resolution Earth observation satellite operating on the geosynchronous orbit, is capable of covering the country's whole area in four to 12 minutes, and capturing the rapid trend of disasters such as forest fires, floods and typhoons to provide information for disaster prevention and control.

China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) started to provide global service at the end of 2018. Nearly 100 million BDS terminals have been applied in smartphones, tablet computers, wearable devices and automobiles, according to Zhao.

Statistics show that the development of 80 percent of the nearly 2,000 new materials in China in recent years were driven by space technologies.

The ignition technology of the torch of Beijing Olympic Games, air-cushioned sports shoes, and the sealing technology of automobile engines all came from space technologies, said Zhao.

In addition, technologies gained from developing the "heart" of rockets are helping China, one of the world's major coal consumers, use coal more cleanly and efficiently.

The rapid integration of space information with big data, cloud computing and the internet will greatly improve the information development, Zhao added.

 

[JSCh]

China opens Chang'e-6 mission for international payloads
Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-18 20:26:52|Editor: zh

BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China announced the cooperation plan for its future Chang'e-6 mission, offering to carry a total of 20 kg of solicited payloads, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Thursday.

The orbiter and lander of the Chang'e-6 mission will each reserve 10 kg for payloads, which will be selected from both domestic colleges, universities, private enterprises and foreign scientific research institutions, said Liu Jizhong, director of the China Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of the CNSA, at a press conference.

China is expected to launch the Chang'e-5 probe by the end of this year to bring moon samples back to Earth.

As the backup of the Chang'e-5 mission, the Chang'e-6 mission will also collect lunar samples automatically for comprehensive analysis and research, Liu said.

Its launch time and landing site will depend on the performance of the Chang'e-5 mission, he explained.

According to Liu, the Chang'e-6 probe will be comprised of an orbiter, a lander, an ascender and a return capsule.

It will enter the Earth-moon transfer orbit, slow near the moon to enter the lunar orbit and descend and land on a preset area on the moon.

After collecting lunar samples, the ascender will rise from the lunar surface for rendezvous and docking with the orbiter flying around the moon. Then the return capsule will fly back to Earth via the moon-Earth transfer orbit, reenter the atmosphere, land and be retrieved.

At the conference, Liu pointed out the specific positions reserved on the lander and orbiter for scientific payloads.

The deadline for applying to join the cooperation plan is Aug. 31, 2019.

"China has always valued exchanges and cooperation with its international counterparts while promoting deep space exploration and scientific and technological innovation," said Zhang Kejian, head of the CNSA.

China has signed cooperation framework agreements with multiple international space agencies, including the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos and the European Space Agency.

 

[JSCh]

China invites world scientists to explore asteroid, comet together
Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-18 21:43:32|Editor: zh

BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday unveiled its plan to explore an asteroid and a comet, inviting scientists around the world to participate in the program.

The mission will involve exploring a near-Earth asteroid, named 2016HO3, and a main-belt comet, named 133P, said Liu Jizhong, director of the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

China has offered to carry scientific instruments developed by other countries on the mission, according to Liu.

He said the mission is still under discussion. According to the current plan, a probe will be sent to fly around asteroid 2016HO3 and then land on it to collect samples.

Then the probe will fly back to the proximity of Earth, and a return capsule will be released to bring the samples back to Earth.

After that, the probe will continue its journey. With the assistance of the gravity of Earth and Mars, it will finally arrive at the main asteroid belt and orbit the comet 133P to explore it.

The whole mission will last about 10 years, according to Liu.

Scientists aim to measure the physical parameters of the asteroid and the comet to get an understanding about their orbit, rotation, shape, size and thermal radiation.

They also want to study their morphology, surface composition and internal structure.

When the asteroid samples are returned, scientists will conduct lab analysis on its physical properties, chemical and mineral components, isotopic composition, structure and age.

They will compare the samples with meteorites, as well as ground-based observation, remote-sensing and in-situ analysis.

Scientists are also interested in the environment of the comet 133P and the potential water and organic materials on it.

Liu said China began to solicit proposals on eight types of scientific instruments to be used in the mission among universities, research organizations and private enterprises both at home and abroad.

Chinese and foreign institutions and scientists are encouraged to jointly propose the schemes and develop the detectors, Liu said.

The instruments include a color camera with an intermediate field of view, thermal emission spectrometer, visible and infrared imaging spectrometer, multispectral camera, detection radar, magnetometer, charged and neutral particle analyzer and dust analyzer, according to Liu.

He said there might be two forms of onboard schemes. One possible scheme is to carry an independent detector on the rocket. After China's main probe enters the orbit, the onboard detector will separate from the rocket and then perform independent tasks. Its mass should not exceed 200 kg.

The other possible option is to let China's main probe carry the onboard detector to the near-Earth asteroid or the main-belt comet and then release it. The detector could either perform independent scientific exploration or coordinate with the main probe.

If the onboard detector does not separate with the main probe, its mass should not exceed 20 kg. If the detector separates from the main probe near the asteroid, its mass should be no more than 80 kg. If it separates from the main probe near the comet, its mass should not exceed 20 kg.

Liu said those interested in participating in the mission could contact the CNSA, and the deadline for the proposals will be August 31, 2019.