Others News
- Lunar probe set to blast off
Date: 24-Oct-2007 Sources: (Shenzhen Daily)
CHINA plans to launch its first moon orbiter Chang'e I at around 6 p.m. today from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China's Sichuan Province, a key step towards future space exploration.
But experts said there are three major factors that may affect the launch, including operating errors by staff on the launch site, unfavorable weather conditions and the quality of the rocket itself.
They said bad weather may delay the launch and the rocket will not be able to take off if there is thunder, heavy rain or strong winds.
Jin Zhiqiang, deputy commander-in-chief of the rocket system of China's lunar probe program, said harsh weather could cause short circuits in electronic components in the rocket. Meanwhile, if tubes and valves of the Long March 3A, which is a low-temperature rocket, are frozen and are not defrosted in time, launch could be delayed.
Local weather forecast said yesterday over the next few days conditions will be suitable for the launch.
The lunar satellite has been named Chang'e I after the Chinese goddess who, according to legend, flew to the moon.
'The satellite will be launched between Oct. 24 and 26, and our first choice is around 6 p.m. Oct. 24,'a spokesman for the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said.
'What is worrying me most is the possibility that there is still something we haven't thought of,'said Ye Peijian, chief designer and commander-in-chief of the satellite system of China's lunar probe program.
'We've envisaged 84 possible failures in the rocket and satellite and we've solved them during our drills. But if there is something that we did not think of, there will be trouble.'
The lunar probe is expected to enter earth-moon transfer orbit Oct. 31 and arrive in the moon's orbit Nov. 5.
The satellite will relay the first pictures of the moon in late November and will then continue scientific exploration of the moon for a year.
The orbiter will carry out a series of projects including acquiring 3D images and analyzing the distribution of elements onthe moon's surface, according to the spokesman.
'Experts from foreign space administrations have been invited to watch the launch on site,'said the CNSA spokesman.
China hopes to become the 17th nation to join the International Space Station (ISS) project, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Li Xueyong said on the sidelines of the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China last week.
The Chinese Government has been pursuing a policy of peaceful use of airspace, Li said.
The satellite launch will mark the first step of China's three-stage moon mission, which will lead to a moon landing and launch of a moon rover around 2012. In the third phase, another rover will land on the moon and return to earth with lunar soil and stone samples for scientific research around 2017.
China carried out its maiden piloted space flight in October 2003, making it only the third country in the world after the former Soviet Union and the United States to have sent men into space. In October 2005, China completed its second manned space flight, with two astronauts on board.
(Xinhua)
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The Chang'e 1 orbiter will launch between Wednesday and Friday, with the prime time being
'The orbiting of the moon is a high-tech project of self-innovation,'said a spokesman for the China National Space Administration.
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