International   

Chang’e-1 set to enter moon orbit

BEIJING: All the systems of China’s lunar probe Chang’e-1 are in good condition with the high energy solar particle detector and the low energy ion detector functioning properly, according to the moon probe team.

Chang’e-1, China’s first moon orbiter, is currently moving with an apogee (highest altitude) of 70,000 km after it entered the orbit on Friday, according to the Beijing Aerospace Control Centre (BACC).

The lunar probe has travelled more than 5 lakh km so far. It has to travel a total of 1.59 million km before it reaches the moon orbit as planned, said Ji Gang, an engineer of monitoring and controlling branch of the moon probe programme.

The BACC said the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) beaconing machine on board the satellite started operation in the early hours on Saturday, and China’s four ground monitoring stations are monitoring Chang’e-1.

The VLBI technology helps to reduce the time needed for orbit determination, according Mr. Ji.

Mr. Ji said the probe will stay on the 24-hour orbit before it moves further from the earth to a 48-hour orbit on Monday.

The satellite is expected to fly to the moon in a real sense after it enters the earth-moon transfer orbit on October 31, and it is planned to enter the moon orbit on November 5.

Chang’e-1, named after a mythical Chinese goddess who, according to legend, flew to the moon, blasted off on a Long March3A carrier rocket at 6:05 p.m. on Wednesday from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in the south-western province of Sichuan.

The satellite will relay the first picture of the moon in late November and will continue scientific explorations for a year. — Xinhua

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Royal member, victim of blackmail
Iran, Turkey explore options on PKK
Poll favourite evokes echo of Evita
Chang’e-1 set to enter moon orbit
Church to send letters to Britney
Bid for consensus
Talks with Chinese leadership “very fruitful”: Sonia

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu