Scheduled To Send Photos Of Moon's Surface In November

All of China's lunar probe Chang'e-1 systems are A-OK, according to Chinese officials.

The probe's high and low energy solar particle detectors were functioning routinely, according to China View.

The probe is currently moving on a 24-hour orbit with an apogee of 43,500 miles after it entered the orbit following its second orbital transfer Friday, according to the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC).

Chang'e-1 has traveled more than 310,685 miles so far. It has to travel a total of 987,980 miles before it reaches the moon orbit as planned, said Ji Gang, an engineer of monitoring and controlling branch of the moon probe program.

The VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) beaconing machine on board the satellite started operation in the early hours on Saturday, and China's four ground monitoring stations with the application of the VLBI, or "Very Long Baseline Interferometry", technology are monitoring Chang'e-1, the BACC said.

The VLBI technology helps to reduce the time needed for orbit determination, according to Ji.

Ji said the probe will stay on the 24-hour orbit before it moves further from the earth to a 48-hour orbit on October 29, which runs more than 161,556 miles.

The satellite is expected to fly to the moon and it is planned to arrive in the moon's orbit on November 5.

As ANN reported, Chang'e-1 blasted off on a Long March 3A carrier rocket at 6:05 p.m. Wednesday from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

The satellite will relay its first pictures of the moon in late November and will then continue scientific explorations of natural resources of the moon for a year.

FMI: www.cnsa.gov.cn/n615709/cindex.html