嫦娥1号绕月探测——中国航天迈向深空

随着1994年的“克莱门汀”号和1998年的“月球勘探者”号月球探测器的发射成功和取得的新的科学发现,在21世纪初,世界各国相继宣布以月球和火星探测为中心的深空探测计划,掀起自阿波罗计划之后的第二次月球探测高潮。中国在卫星应用和载人航天取得突破性进展之后,适时开展月球探测,填补了中国在深空探测领域的空白。绕月探测工程的实施经历了长达10年的政治、经济、科技等方面的综合论证,于2004年初开始正式启动。2007年初,第一颗月球探测卫星——嫦娥1号的各项设施已经全部准备就绪,待命出厂,择机发射,以确保首发必成。嫦娥1号绕月探测卫星的科学目标包括绘制月球立体地图、探测月表物质成分、探测月壤厚度和探测地月空间环境等4项科学任务。

Chang'E-1 Lunar Orbiter: China's First Step into Deep Space Exploration

The successful launch of Clementine lunar orbiter in 1994 and Lunar Prospector orbiter in 1998 has seen many new scientific findings. During the first few years of the 21 century, many countries annouced their new space policies and plans. The future space exploration will focus on the Moon and the Mars, and from the Moon to the Mars. Moreover, the Moon exploration, manned or unmanned, has been planed for the next 30 years. The implementation of Chinese lunar orbiter program, Chang'E-1, will fill in the blank page of deep space exploration in Chinese aerospace industry. Chinese lunar orbiter program was first proposed in1994 and formally started in 2004, after 10 years' delibration from various aspects, such as political, scientific and technological, and economical considerations. Chang'E-1 Lunar Orbiter will be launched by a Long March 3A launch vehicle in 2007. The orbiter is scheduled to be finally placed into a polar orbit of 200 km around the Moon, where it will carry out its tasks. The payloads include CCD Cameras and Imaging Spectrometer (31kg, 50 watts), Laser Altimeter (11 kg, 25 watts), Gamma and X-Ray Spectrometer (35 kg, 15 watts), Microwave Radiometer (30 kg, 42 watts), High Energy Particle Detector (2.4 kg, 3 watts), and Low Energy Ion Detectors (7 kg, 7 watts). Scientific objectives of Chang'E-1 Lunar Orbiter include providing stereo imaging of the lunar surface, detecting 14 elements and petrology and mineralogy of the lunar regolith, studying the thickness of lunar regolith, and detecting the earth-moon environment.