Plans Readied For Second Satellite Launch, Manned Lunar Mission

China plans to launch its second lunar satellite by year's end, and plans for a manned mission to the moon by 2020, according to official state media announcements on September 9th.

Preparations for the the Chang'e-2 probe launch, which will go into orbit within 15 kilometers (nine miles) of the moon, are going smoothly, People's Daily said, citing Wu Weiren, a senior engineer overseeing the program, according to international news agancy AFP.

The Chang'e-2 mission is in pre-launch testing and those close to the program report the plan is to conduct a trial flight mission by the end of the year. October has been suggested, but no official date has been announced.

AFP goes on to report the lunar probe will test soft-landing and other technologies in preparation for the launch of the Chang'e-3, which is slated for launch in 2013 and aims to be China's first unmanned landing on the moon, citing an official statement from Chinese state media.

The Chang'e program is named after a Chinese goddess who flew to the moon. China's program is seen by many  as an effort to rival programs of both the United States and Russa.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences says China's second probe, the Chang'e-2  "will fly much faster than its predecessor and reach lunar orbit within a shorter period of time," citing a top Chinese space expert.

The academy's Web site goes on to quote Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist at the China Lunar Exploration Project, "It is estimated Chang'e-2 can reach lunar orbit within five days, compared to 13 days, 14 hours and 19 minutes for Chang'e-1."

"China has not been to moon before the country launched Chang'e-1, so we were very prudent at that time and adjusted its orbit in a very slow manner. It flew a journey of 2.06 million km before reaching lunar orbit," Ziyuan continued. "We can send Chang'e-2 directly to the moon and we have also changed the orbit for it, so it can reach lunar orbit within five days."

In addition, Chang'e 2 will orbit 100 km closer to the moon and carry a higher resolution camera, the site said.

According to China's three-phase moon exploration road map, the country will first launch the Chang'e-2 lunar orbiter. Then it will land Chang'e-3 on the moon in 2013. Then, in 2017, a moon rock sample will be returned to earth.

Chang'e-2 will test key soft-landing technologies for the Chang'e-3 and provide high-resolution photographs of the landing area, the space authorities said.

Several news sources also indicate the country plans to launch its third unmanned probe to the moon, Chang'e-3, in 2013.

In September 2008, China executed its very first space walk mission with the the Shenzhou-7, piloted by three astronauts.

FMI: http://www.clep.org.cn/index.asp?modelname=eng%5Cen-news