The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has announced that the country’s Chang’e-4 probe has entered a planned orbit Sunday morning to prepare for the first-ever soft landing on the farside of the Moon.
Chang’e-4 entered a new lunar orbit with the low point at roughly 9.3 miles (15 kilometers), and about 62 miles (100 kilometers) at its high point.
Orbital adjustments
This lander/rover mission was launched by a Long March-3B carrier rocket on December 8 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province. Chang’e-4 then entered lunar orbit on December 12.
The probe then made two orbital adjustments, along with testing the Queqiao relay satellite communications link. That satellite was launched last May and was nudged into a halo orbit around the second Lagrangian (L2) point of the earth-moon system.
Landing date to come
Ground control engineers also checked the imaging instruments and ranging detectors on the probe to prepare for the landing. The control center will choose a proper time to land the probe on the farside of the moon, according to CNSA – reportedly within the next few days.
For more details on the implications of Chang’e-4, go to my Scientific American story:
With First-Ever Landing on Moon’s Farside, China Enters “Luna Incognita”
The Chang’e-4 mission could have major effects on Earthbound science and politics
Also, go to this CCTV Video about the mission:
https://youtu.be/cGp7WySaVW4?list=PLpGTA7wMEDFjz0Zx93ifOsi92FwylSAS3
In addition, go to this informative video:
More China-EU space program co-op expected as Chang’e-4 probe prepares for moon-landing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR4jiNMcBYg