“On the ESA side the cooperation has allowed us to gain experience on Moon activities, including tracking of the critical landing phase for Chang'e3 and for the reentry of the Chang'e-5T1 capsule, which required also delivery of high precision tracking information for localisation of the lander and of the capsule on the surface. This is extremely useful experience in view of future ESA and international activities on the Moon.”
China discloses Chang'e 5 lunar probe landing site.
CE5 will almost certainly be delayed. There will have to be at least one additional test flight to certify the launch vehicle, maybe two, so the delay is likely to be for a year or so. Plutogno said elsewhere that CE4 might now fly before CE5 and I think he may be right.I think the original launch was targeted for very late November this year.
Quote from: Phil Stooke on 07/04/2017 06:45 pmCE5 will almost certainly be delayed. There will have to be at least one additional test flight to certify the launch vehicle, maybe two, so the delay is likely to be for a year or so. Plutogno said elsewhere that CE4 might now fly before CE5 and I think he may be right.I think the original launch was targeted for very late November this year.I just wondered if testing the Long March 5 with CE4 first might have been a better way to go?
Testing a new launch vehicle with a precious lunar probe is not a good idea at all. Test it with something you can afford to lose.
There will have to be at least one additional test flight to certify the launch vehicle, maybe two, so the delay is likely to be for a year or so.