By 
November 26th, 2020
Wu Weiren, general designer of China’s lunar exploration program.
Credit: SCIO
Wu Weiren, the chief design engineer of China’s lunar project, said his country plans to build a prototype for a lunar scientific research station.
The prototype, which will consist of multiple detectors operating in lunar orbit and on the lunar surface, would carry out scientific and technological research on the Moon, as well as verify technologies for lunar resource exploration and utilization.
Credit: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
Speaking at the Wenchang International Aviation & Aerospace Forum, Wu said that, with the planned prototype, Chinese scientists will seek cooperative counterparts to build an international lunar scientific research station. “It will be likely located on the southern end of the Moon,” he said, according to China’s Xinhua news service and China Global Television Network (CGTN) reports posted today.
Credit: New China TV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Space maneuvers
Meanwhile, the en route Chang’e-5 lunar probe successfully carried out its second orbital correction at 22:06 on Wednesday, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). The spacecraft made its first trajectory correction maneuver on Tuesday.
During the latest maneuver, the probe’s two 150 Newton engines worked for six seconds.
Reportedly, all systems of the probe are in good condition.
Chang’e-5 was sent moonward atop a Long March-5 Y5 carrier rocket, blasting off early on Tuesday morning, November 24, from the Wenchang Space Launch Center located in South China’s Hainan Province.
Apollo 15 image captures landing locale of China’s Chang’e-5 Moon lander – the Mons Rümker region in the northern part of Oceanus Procellarum.
Credit: NASA
Chang’e-5’s lander/ascender is targeted for a touchdown in a large lava plain known as Oceanus Procellarum, or “Ocean of Storms” – a region in the Moon’s northwest corner and visible to the naked eye from Earth. During its 2-day “layover” on the Moon, the plan calls for collecting roughly 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of lunar specimens for return to Earth.
Credit: New China TV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
With its lunar collectibles onboard, the ascender will take off and dock with the orbiter-returner in lunar orbit. Following transfer of the samples to the returner, the ascender will separate from the orbiter-returner.
Credit: New China TV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
The sample-carrying capsule will reenter the Earth’s atmosphere and use a speed-reducing skip maneuver, then land under parachute at the Siziwang Banner in north China’s Inner Mongolia.
Go to New China TV video at:
Also go to this CGTN video at:
Posted in Space News
