Chang'e 1

Chang'e 1
Mission typeLunar orbiter[1][2]
OperatorChina National Space Administration
COSPAR ID2007-051A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.32273Edit this on Wikidata
Mission durationPlanned: 1 year
Achieved: 1 year, 4 months, 4 days
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass2,350 kg[3]
Start of mission
Launch date24 October 2007, 10:05:04.602 (2007-10-24UTC10:05:04Z) UTC
RocketChang Zheng 3A
Launch siteXichang LC-3
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited (Moon impact)
Decay date1 March 2009, 08:13:10 (2009-03-01UTC08:13:11Z) UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference systemSelenocentric
Periselene altitude200 kilometres (120 mi)
Aposelene altitude200 kilometres (120 mi)
Inclination64 degrees
Period127 minutes
Lunar orbiter
Orbital insertion5 November 2007
Impact site1°30′S 52°22′E / 1.50°S 52.36°E / -1.50; 52.36

Chang'e 1 ( /tʃæŋˈʌ/; simplified Chinese: 嫦娥一号; traditional Chinese: 嫦娥一號; pinyin: Cháng'é yī hào) was an uncrewed Chinese lunar-orbiting spacecraft, part of the first phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program. The spacecraft was named after the Chinese Moon goddess, Chang'e.

Chang'e 1 was launched on 24 October 2007 at 10:05:04 UTC from Xichang Satellite Launch Center.[4] It left lunar transfer orbit on 31 October and entered lunar orbit on 5 November.[5] The first picture of the Moon was relayed on 26 November 2007.[6] On 12 November 2008, a map of the entire lunar surface was released, produced from data collected by Chang'e 1 between November 2007 and July 2008.[7][8]

The mission was scheduled to continue for a year, but was later extended and the spacecraft operated until 1 March 2009, when it was taken out of orbit. It impacted the surface of the Moon at 08:13 UTC.[2] Data gathered by Chang'e 1 was used to create an accurate and high resolution 3-D map of the lunar surface.[9] Chang'e 1 was the first lunar probe to conduct passive, multi-channel, microwave remote sensing of the Moon by using a microwave radiometer.[10]

Its sister orbital probe Chang'e 2 was launched on 1 October 2010.[11]

  1. ^ "China's first lunar probe Chang'e-1 blasts off". SINA Corporation. October 24, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
  2. ^ a b Guodong, Du (2009-03-01). "China's lunar probe Chang'e-1 impacts Moon". Xinhua. Archived from the original on March 2, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
  3. ^ "Chang'e 1". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  4. ^ "China's 1st Moon orbiter enters Earth orbit". Xinhua News Agency. October 24, 2007. Archived from the original on October 25, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
  5. ^ "China's Chang'e-I Enters Moon Orbit". www.efluxmedia.com. Archived from the original on November 7, 2007.
  6. ^ "China publishes first Moon picture". China National Space Administration. November 26, 2007. Archived from the original on November 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
  7. ^ "China publishes first map of whole lunar surface". 12 November 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  8. ^ "Chang'E-1 Lunar Mission: An Overview and Primary Science Results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-09. Retrieved 2011-08-23.
  9. ^ "China's map leaps over the moon" Asia Times
  10. ^ "Chang'e-1 – eoPortal Directory – Satellite Missions". directory.eoportal.org.
  11. ^ "BBC 中文网 – 两岸三地 – 嫦娥二号奔月有助提升军事威慑力". Bbc.co.uk. 2010-10-01. Retrieved 2013-11-16.