Author Topic: LIVE: Chang'e-3 lunar probe and rover, CZ-3B - Xichang - December 1, 2013  (Read 464602 times)

Offline Satori

  • Moderator
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14424
  • Campo do Geręs - Portugal
  • Liked: 1968
  • Likes Given: 1154

Offline Chris Bergin

Oh, still one major coverage milestone to come yet:

ESA Operations ‏@esaoperations 50s
Just about 35 mins until our #Kourou station 'sees' #ChangE3 rising above the horizon in the South West #AOS  http://bit.ly/1bBbSk3
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Last set of pre-launch photos. Launch photos are already coming in.....  8)
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Oh, still one major coverage milestone to come yet:

ESA Operations ‏@esaoperations 50s
Just about 35 mins until our #Kourou station 'sees' #ChangE3 rising above the horizon in the South West #AOS  http://bit.ly/1bBbSk3

Actually there's one more - the solar arrays will deploy in 3 minutes...
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline eeergo

Very impressive footage!
Even better then on SpaceX's last launch. Almost no loss of signal. Only just now, after it is out of range of the 3rd boat. ESA to take over soon?

AOS should be in about 27 minutes

Will first AOS be from a ground station in Chile? (appears so from the broadcast image)

Nevermind, just saw the twit saying it will be from Kourou. The Chilean one appears to be theirs.
« Last Edit: 12/01/2013 05:16 pm by eeergo »
-DaviD-

Offline AJA

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
  • Per Aspera Ad Ares, Per Aspera Ad Astra
  • India
  • Liked: 146
  • Likes Given: 212
"Why do we need international co-operation"
"Uhh..because the Earth is round. And from one location, you can't get a universal picture... of...the Universe."


#EPIC Commentary :D

Offline jcm

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3622
  • Jonathan McDowell
  • Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
    • Jonathan's Space Report
  • Liked: 1290
  • Likes Given: 775
210.3 x 389109.2 km x 28.5 deg. orbit reported.

Awesome, thanks for that!
ESA will be tracking the probe but they say they won't be making the orbital data public, boo! ;-)
-----------------------------

Jonathan McDowell
http://planet4589.org

Offline Jester

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7979
  • Earth
  • Liked: 6533
  • Likes Given: 157
AOS Santiago confirmed

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Landing legs on the lander has just been deployed. Next is the solar arrays in 2 minutes.
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline Space Pete

Congrats China! Nice to see somebody finally heading back to the Lunar surface - in fact this is the first Lunar surface mission of my lifetime. :)
NASASpaceflight ISS Editor

Offline plutogno

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 892
  • Toulouse, France and Milan, Italy
  • Liked: 240
  • Likes Given: 35
I'm not sure. The engine can be used for LOI or they can use the 150N thrusters for a longer burn. I'm not sure if the Trajectory Correction Maneuvers are made with the main engine.

I guess they will want to test it before using it for a critical burn like LOI or landing

Offline AJA

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
  • Per Aspera Ad Ares, Per Aspera Ad Astra
  • India
  • Liked: 146
  • Likes Given: 212
Landing legs on the lander has just been deployed. Next is the solar arrays in 2 minutes.

On why they deployed it now: Rather do it ASAP, when it's closest to Earth... (signal strength etc., for any corrective measures I assume)
I heard one of the English commentators saying earlier that the solar arrays needn't be deployed, and the batteries can take care of the craft until it gets to the moon? (That they'll also get some energy from the side arrays..)

Offline Mapperuo

  • Assistant Webmaster
  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1684
  • Yorkshire
  • Liked: 533
  • Likes Given: 68
Nice clean feed of launch

- Aaron

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Good deployment of the solar arrays.
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline belegor

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 322
  • Switzerland
  • Liked: 13
  • Likes Given: 67
Solar arrays deployed

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Now the official announcement. Apparently the first launch window is 3 minutes 33 seconds long...
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline Rocket Science

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10586
  • NASA Educator Astronaut Candidate Applicant 2002
  • Liked: 4548
  • Likes Given: 13523
Applause from control center, well done China!
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Offline Chris Bergin

ESA Operations ‏@esaoperations
China's #ChangE3 mission control has replied: Copy :-) Confirms solar arrays deployed #BACC #ESOC
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline robertross

  • Canadian Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17939
  • Westphal, Nova Scotia
  • Liked: 659
  • Likes Given: 7688
« Last Edit: 12/01/2013 05:28 pm by robertross »

Offline jcm

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3622
  • Jonathan McDowell
  • Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
    • Jonathan's Space Report
  • Liked: 1290
  • Likes Given: 775
Hey, it's Steve!   He was the press officer for the American Astronomical Society for many years.
-----------------------------

Jonathan McDowell
http://planet4589.org

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
1