LIVE: Chang'e-3 lunar probe and rover, CZ-3B - Xichang - December 1, 2013

[plutogno]

Will this be China's first nuclear powered space probe?

yep!

[savuporo]

I have seen it reported as an RTG, not as RHUs
see for ex http://www.dragoninspace.com/lunar-exploration/change3.aspx

Thanks for that link.

Its just the lander that seems to have RTG ? Rover is described as solar powered, wonder how is it designed to survive lunar nights. Also it says 90 lunar days design life - wow that would be .. what, 7 years ?

On the "nucular" topic, i found articles referring to MSL as "nuclear tank" so i guess thats the trend.

[plutogno]

from what I understand, the rover seems to be designed to withstand the lunar night without RTGs

[Star One]

Will this be China's first nuclear powered space probe?

yep!

Thanks for that, thought it might be but wasn't one hundred percent on the issue.

[pberrett]

Will the Chinese be releasing a hyped up 7 minutes of Chinese rocket terror video?

[Star One]

Will the Chinese be releasing a hyped up 7 minutes of Chinese rocket terror video?

You hoping they will.

[beidou]

Why do you think they won't?? They have shared the data collected by Chang'E 2...

[Star One]

New article confirming that the rover is to be nuclear powered.

http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-08/13/content_26214399.htm

[PeterAlt]

Since the Chinese originally announced Chang'e-1, Chang'e-2 and Chang'e-3 as being the lunar orbit, lunar landing/rover and sample return missions respectively, there is plenty of room for confusion since Chang'e 3 will be the first rover mission!

Maybe we should think of the original designators as being Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 respectively, with the flown Chang'e 1 and 2 being the Phase 1 missions and Chang'e 3 (and Chang'e 4? - even Chang'e 5??) being Phase 2 missions.

You're right that it is phase-1, 2 and 3 being orbiting, landing, and sampling returning respectively.

Each phase has two identical spacecraft built, one being the flying example and the other backup.

With Chang'e 1 successfully orbiting the Moon, there was actually no need to launch Chang'e 2. However, the programme decided to launch it nevertheless, and called it a "Phase-II" mission, a pathfinder for the subsequent Chang'e 3 lunar landing mission.

There was also media report about the first mission in the third-phase being Chang'e 5. So again Chang'e 4 is a back-up spacecraft. I would't be surprised if the mission also goes ahead.

So, what are they planning on doing after Chang'e 6? Would they do a Phase 4 as preparation for crew missions? Or would the focus then shift to Mars, Venus, or some other destination in the solar system?

[Phillip Clark]

After Chang'e 6 I guess the Chinese will decide what comes next!   Maybe they will have more than two sample-return missions?   Or maybe insert something that they deem to be necessary as an unmanned mission prior to the start of the piloted programme?

But as far as I know, no Chinese discussions have included a "Phase 4" of the Chang'e programme: it appears to stop after the sample-return flights.

All I can say is "let's wait and see". :-)

[Star One]

Since the Chinese originally announced Chang'e-1, Chang'e-2 and Chang'e-3 as being the lunar orbit, lunar landing/rover and sample return missions respectively, there is plenty of room for confusion since Chang'e 3 will be the first rover mission!

Maybe we should think of the original designators as being Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 respectively, with the flown Chang'e 1 and 2 being the Phase 1 missions and Chang'e 3 (and Chang'e 4? - even Chang'e 5??) being Phase 2 missions.

You're right that it is phase-1, 2 and 3 being orbiting, landing, and sampling returning respectively.

Each phase has two identical spacecraft built, one being the flying example and the other backup.

With Chang'e 1 successfully orbiting the Moon, there was actually no need to launch Chang'e 2. However, the programme decided to launch it nevertheless, and called it a "Phase-II" mission, a pathfinder for the subsequent Chang'e 3 lunar landing mission.

There was also media report about the first mission in the third-phase being Chang'e 5. So again Chang'e 4 is a back-up spacecraft. I would't be surprised if the mission also goes ahead.

So, what are they planning on doing after Chang'e 6? Would they do a Phase 4 as preparation for crew missions? Or would the focus then shift to Mars, Venus, or some other destination in the solar system?

Wasn't their some discussion that a Jupiter mission was on their planning schedule?

[plutogno]

I discussed the few info available on Jupiter missions on the unmannedspaceflight forum www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7099&pid=185333&st=0&#entry185333

[Star One]

I discussed the few info available on Jupiter missions on the unmannedspaceflight forum www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7099&pid=185333&st=0&#entry185333

Thanks for that.

[Hungry4info3]

Looks like rover/lander separation tests. Found it on a Facebook profile, but looks like a TV screengrab.

Edited for clarity.

[Ben the Space Brit]

Looks like rover/lander separation tests. Found it on a Facebook profile, but looks like a TV screengrab.

Hrm.  MSR meets Lunikhod!

[spacex]

Launch planned second half of 2013.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/special/18cpcnc/2012-11/11/c_131965774.htm

[spacex]

Interesting report:

"It will spend 15 days on the moon to lay the foundations of what he called, further deep space exploration."

"After its sampling of the moon's surface, the Chang'e-3 is expected to be retrieved in 2017, according to reports."

http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-11/11/content_15913551.htm

[Ben the Space Brit]

Interesting report:

"It will spend 15 days on the moon to lay the foundations of what he called, further deep space exploration."

"After its sampling of the moon's surface, the Chang'e-3 is expected to be retrieved in 2017, according to reports."

http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-11/11/content_15913551.htm

"RETRIEVED"?!? In 2017?

Okay, Ben, calm down.  They're just talking about some kind of roll-on lander/return vehicle although even a RV capable of returning a payload of that size from the lunar surface would be impresive.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Interesting report:

"It will spend 15 days on the moon to lay the foundations of what he called, further deep space exploration."

"After its sampling of the moon's surface, the Chang'e-3 is expected to be retrieved in 2017, according to reports."

http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-11/11/content_15913551.htm

"RETRIEVED"?!? In 2017?

Okay, Ben, calm down.  They're just talking about some kind of roll-on lander/return vehicle although even a RV capable of returning a payload of that size from the lunar surface would be impresive.

I think those reporters have confused CE-3 with the future Chinese lunar sample return mission (most probably CE-5), which is indeed penciled in for 2017. 

[ChileVerde]

New article confirming that the rover is to be nuclear powered.

http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-08/13/content_26214399.htm

Sorry to be getting in on this way late, but that reference says,

Using plutonium-238, the battery will be able to power the 100-kilogram vehicle for more than 30 years, said Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of China's lunar exploration program.

Pu-238?  AFAIK, brewing Pu-238 is not a trivial matter.  Do we have any other information about China's production of it?