China to complete unmanned lunar mission by 2017

By He Shan
0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, September 20, 2012
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 This complete high-resolution map of the moon taken by China's Chang'e 2 lunar orbiter was unveiled on Feb. 6, 2012. [File Photo]

This complete high-resolution map of the moon taken by China's Chang'e 2 lunar orbiter was unveiled on Feb. 6, 2012. [File Photo]



China's unmanned moon exploration mission is expected to conclude in 2017, according to Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist for China's lunar probe project.

China has completed the moon-orbiting task successfully and will launch the Chang'e-3 Moon Lander in 2013 to conduct the first soft-controlled landing of any spacecraft on the moon in 40 years.

The unmanned lunar probe task will be carried out in three phases which involve circling the moon, landing on the moon and returning from the moon, Ouyang Ziyuan told reporters on the sidelines of TWAS 12th General Conference in Tianjin this week.

Ouyang Ziyuan revealed that Chang'e-3 will be equipped with an astronomical telescope and extreme ultraviolet camera, which is a new feature. Moreover, radar will be installed at the bottom of the vehicle to enable it to probe 100 meters deep under the moon's surface.

"After the completion of the unmanned lunar task, China will forge ahead with a manned moon-landing program and also plans to build research facilities on the moon," he said.

Although Ouyang Ziyuan mentioned that there is still no timetable or roadmap for China to land a man on the moon, he said China's space program is actively making preparations to work out China's manned moon landing probe project as soon as possible.

NASA's Apollo 17, which landed on the Moon in December 1972, was the last human mission that carried astronauts to the moon. Since then no one has repeated this accomplishment.

China launched the Chang'e-1 and Chang'e-2 crafts in 2007 and 2010 respectively. Chang'e-2 created a high-resolution map of the moon's surface, including the landing zone picked for Chang'e-3—Sinus Iridium.

On Sept. 4, a cooperative deal was inked between a U.S-based group and China to use Chang'e-3 Moon Lander to conduct astronomical imaging from the moon's surface.

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