Chang'e 1
Chang'e 1 ( /tʃæŋˈʌ/; simplified Chinese: 嫦娥一号; traditional Chinese: 嫦娥一號; pinyin: Cháng'é yī hào) 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.
| Mission type | Lunar orbiter |
|---|---|
| Operator | China National Space Administration |
| COSPAR ID | 2007-051A |
| SATCAT no. | 32273 |
| Mission duration | Planned: 1 year Achieved: 1 year, 4 months, 4 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | 2,350 kg |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 24 October 2007, 10:05:04.602 UTC |
| Rocket | Chang Zheng 3A |
| Launch site | Xichang LC-3 |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Deorbited (Moon impact) |
| Decay date | 1 March 2009, 08:13:10 UTC |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Selenocentric |
| Periselene altitude | 200 kilometres (120 mi) |
| Aposelene altitude | 200 kilometres (120 mi) |
| Inclination | 64 degrees |
| Period | 127 minutes |
| Lunar orbiter | |
| Orbital insertion | 5 November 2007 |
| Impact site | 1.50°S 52.36°E |
Chang'e 1 was launched on 24 October 2007 at 10:05:04 UTC from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. It left lunar transfer orbit on 31 October and entered lunar orbit on 5 November. The first picture of the Moon was relayed on 26 November 2007. On 12 November 2008, a map of the entire lunar surface was released, produced from data collected by Chang'e 1 between November 2007 and July 2008.
The mission was scheduled to continue for a year, but was later extended and the spacecraft operated until 1 March 2009, when it was taken out of orbit. It impacted the surface of the Moon at 08:13 UTC. Data gathered by Chang'e 1 was used to create an accurate and high resolution 3-D map of the lunar surface. Chang'e 1 was the first lunar probe to conduct passive, multi-channel, microwave remote sensing of the Moon by using a microwave radiometer.
Its sister orbital probe Chang'e 2 was launched on 1 October 2010.