Chang'e 8

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Chang'e 8
Mission typeLander, lunar rover, robot [1]
Operator CNSA
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer CAST
Start of mission
Launch date2028 (planned) [1]
Rocket Long March 5
Launch site Wenchang
Moon lander
Landing site Shackleton-de Gerlache ridge, or
Leibnitz Beta, or
Amundsen (crater), or
Cabeus (crater) [1]
  Chang'e 7
ILRS-1  

Chang'e 8 (Chinese :嫦娥八号; pinyin :Cháng'é báhào) is a planned robotic mission by China to explore the lunar south pole and to establish the technical predicate for the future International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). The mission is expected to launch in 2028 and will include a lander, a rover, and a robot. [1] [2]

Contents

Overview

China intends to launch the Chang'e 8 mission as part of its plan to construct the International Lunar Research Station during the 2030s. Chang'e 8 will follow in the footsteps of the Chang'e 7 mission, planned for 2026, and continue the latter mission's physical investigation of the lunar south pole region while pursuing new experiments such as in-situ resource utilization, which may include testing the feasilibity of 3D-printing on the lunar surface. [3] The mission will serve as the basis for a larger scale robotic and crewed lunar research station during the ensuing decade. [1]

The mission will include 200 kilograms of "piggyback" payload capacity available for international instruments. CNSA has set December 31, 2023 as the deadline for the submission of letters of intent by interested parties to contribute payloads to the mission. [4]

Potential landing areas

Wang Qiong, deputy chief designer of the Chang'e-8 mission, indicated possible lunar south pole landing areas include the following regions: Leibnitz Beta, Amundsen crater, Cabeus crater, and the ridge connecting the Shackleton and de Gerlache craters. [1]

Scientific objectives

In the October 2023 document that accompanied CNSA's announcement of international cooperation opportunities for the Chang'e 8 mission, the following mission aims are listed: [4]

Mission instruments

Currently, the science payloads on the mission include the following: [1] [4]

Lander

Rover

See also

Related Research Articles

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A lander is a spacecraft that descends towards, then comes to rest on the surface of an astronomical body other than Earth. In contrast to an impact probe, which makes a hard landing that damages or destroys the probe upon reaching the surface, a lander makes a soft landing after which the probe remains functional.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese space program</span> Space program of the Peoples Republic of China

The space program of the People's Republic of China is about the activities in outer space conducted and directed by the People's Republic of China. The roots of the Chinese space program trace back to the 1950s, when, with the help of the newly allied Soviet Union, China began development of its first ballistic missile and rocket programs in response to the perceived American threats. Driven by the successes of Soviet Sputnik 1 and American Explorer 1 satellite launches in 1957 and 1958 respectively, China would launch its first satellite, Dong Fang Hong 1 in April 1970 aboard a Long March 1 rocket, making it the fifth nation to place a satellite in orbit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chang'e 1</span> Chinese lunar probe launched in 2007

Chang'e 1 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moon landing</span> Arrival of a spacecraft on the Moons surface

A Moon landing or lunar landing is the arrival of a spacecraft on the surface of the Moon, including both crewed and robotic missions. The first human-made object to touch the Moon was Luna 2 in 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lunar lander</span> Spacecraft intended to land on the surface of the Moon

A lunar lander or Moon lander is a spacecraft designed to land on the surface of the Moon. As of 2024, the Apollo Lunar Module is the only lunar lander to have ever been used in human spaceflight, completing six lunar landings from 1969 to 1972 during the United States' Apollo Program. Several robotic landers have reached the surface, and some have returned samples to Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese Lunar Exploration Program</span> Lunar research program (2004 – present)

The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, also known as the Chang'e Project after the Chinese Moon goddess Chang'e, is an ongoing series of robotic Moon missions by the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chang'e 2</span> Chinese Moon orbiter

Chang'e 2 is a Chinese uncrewed lunar probe that was launched on 1 October 2010. It was a follow-up to the Chang'e 1 lunar probe, which was launched in 2007. Chang'e 2 was part of the first phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, and conducted research from a 100-km-high lunar orbit in preparation for the December 2013 soft landing by the Chang'e 3 lander and rover. Chang'e 2 was similar in design to Chang'e 1, although it featured some technical improvements, including a more advanced onboard camera. Like its predecessor, the probe was named after Chang'e, an ancient Chinese moon goddess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chang'e 3</span> Lunar exploration mission operated by the China National Space Administration

Chang'e 3 is a robotic lunar exploration mission operated by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), incorporating a robotic lander and China's first lunar rover. It was launched in December 2013 as part of the second phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program. The mission's chief commander was Ma Xingrui.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lunar rover</span> Vehicle that travels on the Moons surface

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chang'e 4</span> Chinese lunar lander & rover

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chang'e 5</span> Chinese lunar exploration mission

Chang'e 5 was the fifth lunar exploration mission in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program of CNSA, and China's first lunar sample-return mission. Like its predecessors, the spacecraft is named after the Chinese moon goddess, Chang'e. It launched at 20:30 UTC on 23 November 2020, from Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on Hainan Island, landed on the Moon on 1 December 2020, collected ~1,731 g (61.1 oz) of lunar samples, and returned to the Earth at 17:59 UTC on 16 December 2020.

<i>Yutu</i> (rover) Chinese lunar rover

Yutu was a robotic lunar rover that formed part of the Chinese Chang'e 3 mission to the Moon. It was launched at 17:30 UTC on 1 December 2013, and reached the Moon's surface on 14 December 2013. The mission marks the first soft landing on the Moon since 1976 and the first rover to operate there since the Soviet Lunokhod 2 ceased operations on 11 May 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chang'e 5-T1</span> Chinese lunar probe launched in 2014

Chang'e 5-T1 was an experimental robotic spacecraft that was launched to the Moon on 23 October 2014, by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) to conduct atmospheric re-entry tests on the capsule design planned to be used in the Chang'e 5 mission. As part of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, Chang'e 5, launched in 2020, was a Moon sample return mission. Like its predecessors, the spacecraft is named after the Chinese Moon goddess Chang'e. The craft consisted of a return vehicle capsule and a service module orbiter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chang'e 6</span> Chinese lunar sample-return mission

Chang'e 6 was the sixth robotic lunar exploration mission by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and the second CNSA lunar sample-return mission. Like its predecessors in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, the spacecraft is named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e. It was the first lunar mission to retrieve samples from the far side of the Moon; all previous samples were collected from the near side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commercial Lunar Payload Services</span> NASA program contracting commercial transportation services to the Moon

Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) is a NASA program to hire companies to send small robotic landers and rovers to the Moon. Most landing sites are near the lunar south pole where they will scout for lunar resources, test in situ resource utilization (ISRU) concepts, and perform lunar science to support the Artemis lunar program. CLPS is intended to buy end-to-end payload services between Earth and the lunar surface using fixed-price contracts. The program achieved the first landing on the moon by a commercial company in history with the IM-1 mission in 2024. The program was extended to add support for large payloads starting after 2025.

<i>Yutu-2</i> Chinese lunar rover

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Chang'e 7 is a planned robotic Chinese lunar exploration mission expected to be launched in 2026 to target the lunar south pole. Like its predecessors, the spacecraft is named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e. The mission will include an orbiter, a lander, a mini-hopping probe, and a rover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Lunar Research Station</span> Planned International lunar base

The International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) (Chinese: 国际月球科研站, Russian: Международная научная лунная станция) is a planned lunar base currently being led by Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration (CNSA). The ILRS will serve as a comprehensive scientific experiment base built on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit that can carry out multi-disciplinary and multi-objective scientific research activities including exploration and utilization, lunar-based observation, basic scientific experiment and technical verification, and long-term autonomous operation. Statements from Roscosmos and CNSA underline that the project will be "open to all interested countries and international partners." ILRS construction missions are expected to begin after the completion of the Chang'e 8 mission in 2028.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queqiao-1</span> Chinese lunar communications satellite

Queqiao relay satellite (Chinese: 鹊桥号中继卫星; pinyin: Quèqiáo hào zhōngjì wèixīng; lit. 'Magpie Bridge relay satellite'), is the first of the pair of communications relay and radio astronomy satellites for the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) launched the Queqiao relay satellite on 20 May 2018 to a halo orbit around the Earth–Moon L2 Lagrangian point Queqiao is the first communication relay and radio astronomy satellite at this location.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queqiao-2</span> Chinese lunar communications satellite

Queqiao-2 relay satellite, is the second of the communications relay and radio astronomy satellites designed to support the fourth phase the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, after Queqiao-1 launched in 2018. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) launched the Queqiao-2 relay satellite on 20 March 2024 to an elliptical frozen orbit around the Moon to support communications from the far side of the Moon and the Lunar south pole.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jones, Andrew (2 October 2023). "China outlines Chang'e-8 resource utilization mission to the lunar south pole". spacenews.com . Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  2. "嫦娥七号、嫦娥八号将组成我国月球科研站基本型--经济·科技--人民网". finance.people.com.cn. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  3. 1 2 Jones, Andrew (9 September 2024). "China is taking a keen interest in lava tubes as possible lunar habitats". spacenews.com . Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  4. 1 2 3 "嫦娥八号任务国际合作机遇公告" (pdf). 中国国家航天局. 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2023-10-02.