Category Archives: Chang’E-6

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 May 2024

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First Lunar Far Side Sample Return Mission on Route to South Pole-Aitken Basin

China space agency CNSA guiding Chang’E-6 53-day mission, consisting of 4-module stack launched from Wenchang SLC (19 N°) on LM-5 rocket 3 May and Queqiao-2 relay satellite, also launched from Wenchang on LM-8 and currently in 200 x 16,000-km lunar orbit; Lander, ascender orbiter and return capsule to reach Moon orbit by 8 May, where they will remain for ~20 days before lander and ascender separate and descend to 490-km Apollo crater (itself within 2,400-km Aitken Basin) spending 48 hours drilling to a depth of 2-m and retrieving up to 2-kg of regolith for Earth (Inner Mongolia) return 25 June

 
Credits: CNSA

Tuesday / 13 Feb 2024

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Lunar Wave of Exploration Set to Continue with International Commercial and National Landers in 2024

As CLPS provider Intuitive Machines readies for first USA Moon surface mission in 51 years (delivery readiness media teleconference 13 Feb 13:30 EST, launch coverage 14 Feb 00:15 EST), other efforts are also in the pipeline: 8,200-kg CNSA Chang’E-6 is expected to launch to lunar far side (~43.0°S, ~154.0°W) NET May with Queqiao-2 relay orbiter launching NET March; IM-2 may follow with launch to Shackleton connecting ridge (89.5°S, 51.3°W) NET Q2; Firefly Blue Ghost M1 planning NET Q3 launch to Mare Crisium (17.0°N 59.1°E); Astrobotic launching Griffin to Mons Mouton (84.6°S 31.0°W) NET November; ispace Hakuto-R Mission 2 and IM-3 may also launch before EOY

Credits: IM, CNSA, Firefly, Astrobotic, ispace

Friday / 12 Jan 2024

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China Lunar Sample Return Mission Chang’E-6 Prepares for NET May Launch to Moon Far Side

CNSA Chang’E-6 Moon spacecraft (orbiter, lander, ascender and re-entry module – totaling 8,200-kg launch mass) now at Wenchang, Hainan undergoing pre-launch tests ahead of 53-day mission to collect 2 kg of lunar regolith from Apollo crater within South Pole-Aitken Basin (~43°S, 154°W), expected to launch in May; International payloads include Detection of Outgassing Radon (DORN, France), INstrument for landing-Roving laser Retroreflector Investigations (INRRI, Italy), Negative Ions on Lunar Surface (NILS, Sweden) and iCUBE-Q 3U Cube Sat (Pakistan); Chang’E-6 is the world’s first attempt at lunar far side sample retrieval

Credits: CNSA

Thanksgiving Holiday Edition
Thurs-Mon / 23-27 Nov 2023

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A Robust International Moon Landing Schedule in First Half 2024

JAXA Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) lander, Astrobotic Peregrine and Intuitive Machines Nova-C Odysseus are slated to land on near side of Moon NET Jan 2024: SLIM is currently in low-energy transfer targeting 100-m landing site near Shioli crater (13.3°S) mid-Jan, Peregrine awaiting ULA Vulcan Centaur launch from KSC NET 24 Dec with late Jan landing near Gruithuisen Domes (36.56°N), Nova-C working toward late Nov shipping from TX to FL for NET 12 Jan launch on SpaceX F9 to 5-7 day direct transfer for mid-Jan landing near Malapert-A (80.3°S); CNSA Chang’E-6 to launch on Long March 5 NET May 2024 to Apollo crater within far side SPA Basin (43.0°S)

Picutred: SLIM Project Manager Shinichiro Sakai, Astrobotic CEO John Thornton, IM CEO Stephen Altemus, CLEP Designer Sun Jiadong; Credits: JAXA, Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, CNSA, Linkedin

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 Oct 2023

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China 2020s Human Moon Landing Solidifying as Robotic Exploration Series Continues

CSA, DSEL, CASC, CMSA and CNSA advancing crewed lunar mission set to occur before 2030 utilizing redesigned 10.6-m diameter Long March 9 with 50-ton lunar transfer capability or Long March 10  (also called 5DY / 5G / 921) with 27-ton lunar transfer, which may launch by 2027; Lander with powered descent stage to carry 2 Taikonauts and 200-kg rover to lunar surface; CNSA also seeking international payloads for Chang’E-8 launching NET 2028 (letters of intent due 31 Dec) while Queqiao-2 and Tiandu-1/2 relay satellites expected to launch NET March 2024 followed by Chang’E-6 far side sample return NET May 2024, and Chang’E-7 MSP mission NET 2026

Credits: CNSA, CASC, Xinhua

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 Sep 2023

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Lunar Mission Cadence Not Letting Up with Japan on Route to Moon, USA CLPS Preparing for Launch

ISRO awaits possible reactivation of Vikram Lander / Pragyan rover 22 September; JAXA SLIM operating nominally following post-launch systems checks with trajectory to Moon within precise range, allowing controllers to forego a planned fine-tuning maneuver; NASA CLPS providers Intuitive Machines and Astrobotic enlarging their Earth-bound organizational footprints with expanded facilities while working towards NET 16 November and TBD launches; CNSA Chang’E-6 sample retrieval sites within Apollo-crater being considered for NET May 2024; ispace and SpaceIL working towards realization HAKUTO-R mission 2 and Beresheet 2

Credits: ISRO, JAXA, Intuitive Machines, Astrobotic, ispace, SpaceIL