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#80
by
hal9000
on 17 Dec, 2012 12:21
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What really strikes me from the video footage of the lander and rover is how small the rover appears in relation to the lander size. It almost looks like a minor 'side' payload, rather than something like Lunakhod, or the MER rovers, where the landing stage is dominated by the rover.
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#81
by
Ben the Space Brit
on 17 Dec, 2012 15:58
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Is there any possibility that this might be an LSR with the small rover as primarily a short-range 'rock hunter' and a secondary free-roaming science mission after the return package leaves?
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#82
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 17 Dec, 2012 16:19
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Is there any possibility that this might be an LSR with the small rover as primarily a short-range 'rock hunter' and a secondary free-roaming science mission after the return package leaves?
Nope, the preliminary designs I've seen of the Chinese LSR mission (currently planned as Chang'e 5 in 2017) is much more like the old Soviet LSR missions....
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#83
by
ChrisC
on 04 Jan, 2013 19:21
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#84
by
elakdawalla
on 09 Jan, 2013 20:56
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#85
by
Satori
on 09 Jan, 2013 21:30
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#86
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 10 Jan, 2013 05:10
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A Google translation says "3rd June".
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#87
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 10 Jan, 2013 06:08
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A Google translation says "3rd June".
Let's say that Ouyang Ziyuan didn't mention the date, merely "in June"....
This is very surprising because the Chinese has always reported that the launch is in the second half of 2013, and I wonder if the reporters (or even Ouyang) mistook the launch of SZ-10 (which is reported to be in early June) with CE-3. Of course I would be thrilled to be wrong!
In other news, he reported that the Chinese will continue to communicate with CE-2 right up to the end, and confirms that the CE-5 lunar sample return mission (2017) will be launched by the CZ-5 series.
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#88
by
plutogno
on 10 Jan, 2013 07:26
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FYI, Emily Lakdawalla of the Planetary Society just posted a great overview of expected spacecraft activity in 2013, and in it she features this mission
note that CE-3's descent camera was tested as one of the now famous four engineering webcams on CE-2. it's the heaviest of the four at 502 grams. it has a 1280x1024 pixel CMOS sensor
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#89
by
Dalhousie
on 10 Jan, 2013 07:53
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I just posted a followup article. Many thanks to all of you who are posting links to and translations of Chinese language content here -- it's an invaluable resource. I wanted to draw your attention to the really nice Chang'E 3 rover artwork that Glen Nagle put together.
Nice, but I don't think that Chang'e 3 is landing in Taurus-Littrow....
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#90
by
Spiff
on 12 Jan, 2013 12:17
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I just posted a followup article. Many thanks to all of you who are posting links to and translations of Chinese language content here -- it's an invaluable resource. I wanted to draw your attention to the really nice Chang'E 3 rover artwork that Glen Nagle put together.
What? Nobody has at least written a little welcome message when one of the most respected space-bloggers on this side of the net finally registers at NSF.com?
Up to me then.
Welcome Emily, thanks for this article and the many others that you have written over the years. Keep updating us with all the space background stories from around the world. I for one always enjoy reading them!
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#91
by
hal9000
on 27 Jan, 2013 13:41
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Here is a good summary of the Chang'e-3 mission:
http://www.pagef30.com/2013/01/planetary-society-writeup-on-change-3.htmlA couple of points stand out for me:
1) Some images show the rover coming down ramps like Lunakhod, others show it folding out from a side panel. Wonder which is the chosen solution for flight?
2) Looking at the pictures of the lander in assembly, it looks pretty big, given it is reported to way 1,200kg! It looks more like an Apollo LM Descent Stage than it does something like a Luna or Surveyor lander. Odd
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#92
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 27 Feb, 2013 13:06
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Here are the testing on the lander / rover that has been completed and coming up shortly as of today:
Completed
- Flight hardware development and acceptance
- Lander / rover final assembly and combined testing
- Electromagnetic compatibility tests
- Lander / rover separation and release testing
- Mechanical force testing
Coming up
- Thermal balance and vacuum testing
- Modal strength testing on key components (wheels and landing gears?)
- Mission simulation with the spacecraft control center at Beijing
SourceThe photo below shows the gamma ray sensor for the lander hover engine shutdown signal being tested outdoors (
already completed):
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#93
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 01 Mar, 2013 07:00
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New modifications to the CZ-3B rocket for the launch:
1. Guidance platform will now also use satellite navigation signals (GPS?) in addition to the original twin ring laser gyroscopes for real time trajectory optimization (not exactly new for rockets around the world...)
2. Rocketcam installed on all major parts of the rocket for our pleasure and monitoring critical events (first time we will see them live on a CZ-3 series)
3. All engines and control systems have been tweaked to increase the reliability to 94.2% (was 93.8%).
4. New designed payload adapter (height 1760 mm) and payload separation locks.
5. LTO capability increased to 3780 kg (was 3750 kg)
6. The lunar transfer launch window has been widened to 2 windows per day, 3 - 4 days per month (back in CE-2 it was a 1 second window!) by optimizing launch window designs, adding real time software code upload capability and improving the third stage pressurization system.
Source:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2013-03/01/c_114854207.htm
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#94
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 08 Mar, 2013 11:19
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HOLY PROBE! We may have just got the precise launch window CE-3 is being aimed at!
According to Jiang Jie, the current chief designer of the CZ-3 rocket series, the launch will occur in
early December. Final assembly of the CZ-3B rocket for the launch is now underway and should be completed by the end of this month. 2 series of complete tests will be done on the launcher before shipping.
Also comparing with the CZ-3C used for the CE-2 launch, the LTO capability has increased by 1.3 tonnes (not a useful comparison....) and the orbit injection accuracy is now three times better.
Source:
http://news.cntv.cn/2013/03/08/VIDE1362742325390719.shtml
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#95
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 10 Mar, 2013 10:55
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CAST's chief adviser of Interplanetary Exploration Ye Peijian confirms that the lander and rover has completed final assembly and are on track for launch late this year. There aren't a lot of new things we don't know in this news report, but there are some not seen before spacecraft testing footages and animations (though the shot with a lander leg touching down on sand actually comes from "From The Earth To The Moon"
)
http://news.cntv.cn/2013/03/10/VIDE1362893522898173.shtml
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#96
by
Blackstar
on 12 Mar, 2013 01:53
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#97
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 12 Mar, 2013 02:25
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It's big.
It weights something like 3.6 tonnes when fully fueled - so even bigger than MSL during cruising! (but of course it's going to a much closer place than Mars)
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#98
by
Blackstar
on 12 Mar, 2013 15:09
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Anybody got any dimensions on this? How does it compare to Surveyor and Lunokhod?
I note the four landing legs.
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#99
by
Danderman
on 12 Mar, 2013 17:05
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Anybody got any dimensions on this? How does it compare to Surveyor and Lunokhod?
I note the four landing legs.
Lunakhod right after separation was something like 5500 kg; Surveyor would have been a little over one metric ton.
A more appropriate comparison would be with Viking.
)