Special report: China launches first lunar
orbiter
BEIJING, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's first lunar
probe, Chang'e-1, started its second braking on Tuesday's morning, which will
further decelerate the satellite to get it closer to its final orbit.
Instructions for the braking was issued by the
Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) at around 11:21 a.m.
The braking, when completed, will help Chang'e-1 to
slow down its speed to 1.8 km per second to enter a 3.5-hour orbit with a
perilune of 200 km and an apolune of 1,700 km.
The probe is expected to brake for the third time at
around 8:00 a.m. on Nov. 7, which will further slow down its speed to 1.59 km
per second to put it on a 127-minute round polar circular orbit.
The round orbit is also the probe's final destination
where it is supposed to start "working" formally.
Before the second braking, Chang'e-1 was traveling
along a 12-hour elliptical moon orbit, with a perilune of about 210 km and an
apolune of about 8,600 km.
Chang'e-1 successfully completed its first braking
and entered the moon's orbit at around 11:37 a.m. on Monday, which made it
become a "real" circumlunar satellite.
The probe, named after a legendary Chinese goddess who flew to the moon, blasted off on a Long March 3A carrier rocket on Oct. 24 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern Sichuan Province.
China's first lunar probe enters
moon's orbit
BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's first lunar probe,
Chang'e-1, successfully completed its first braking at perilune and enters the
moon's orbit Monday morning. Full story
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The CCTV footage shows that China's
first lunar probe Chang'e-1 successfully completed its first braking at
perilune and enters the moon's orbit Monday morning, Nov. 5,
2007. (Photo: CCTV.com)
Photo
Gallery>>> |
Chang'e-1 starts braking before
entering moon's orbit
BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's first lunar probe,
Chang'e-1, started braking at perilune, which will help it slow down to enter
the moon's orbit. Full story
Chang'e-1 receives order to adjust
flying posture for first braking at perilune
BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Aerospace
Control Center (BACC) transmitted data to Chang'e-1 at 9:45 a.m. on Monday,
which will make the country's first lunar probe adjust its flying posture before
braking at perilune to enter the moon's orbit. Full story
Chang'e-1 stops rotating for first braking at
perilune
BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's first lunar
probe, Chang'e-1, stopped rotation at 9:00 a.m. on Monday and is preparing for
its first braking at perilune to enter the moon's orbit. Full story
Chang'e-1 lunar probe completes 3rd orbital
transfer
BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's lunar
probe Chang'e-1 completed its third orbital transfer on Monday afternoon, one
more step forward in its 1,580,000-km journey to the moon. Full story
Scientists activate 1st probing equipment on Chagn'e-1 lunar
orbiter
BEIJING, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists
have successfully activated the first probing equipment on the Chang'e-1 lunar
orbiter on Thursday evening to start exploring the space environment between
earth and moon. Full story
