Chang´e 5-T1 (CE5-T1)

Launch data: Designation  40283 / 14065A Launch date  23 Oct 2014 - 18:00 UT Launch site  Xichang, LC-2 Launch vehicle  CZ-3C/G2 Mission  Lunar probe Heliocentric orbit Perihelion / Aphelion  -1282 x 404729 Eccentricity   Inclination   30.47 deg Period   min

Reentry capsule

A unique view of the Moon and distant Earth from China′s Chang′e-5 T1 lunar test flight. Image UnmannedSpaceflight.com.

Descriptions:

• CHANG′E-5 T1 is a demonstrator probe launched on a round-trip flight around the moon to test out a heat shield and landing capsule planned for use on a lunar sample return mission in 2017. The demonstrator will swing around the far side of the moon, using lunar gravity to slingshot the craft back to Earth. It is to validate the technology for the reentry vehicle.
• Chang'e 5-T1 consists of a Chang'e 2 type spacecraft featuring the Chang'e 5 return capsule. The capsule also carries experiments to expose bacteria and plants to the radiation environment beyond the low earth orbit.

Mission details:

• Change 5-T1 was launched by a CZ-3C/G2 rocket into type lunar free-return orbit and loop behind the Moon once to test the high speed atmospheric reentry of a capsule returning from the moon.
• On Oct 23, 2014 a Chang Zheng 3C/G2 launch vehicle took off from Xichang and placed a spacecraft in a 209 x 413000 km lunar transfer orbit. The spacecraft is called ′Chang′e wu hao feixing shiyan qi′, or CE-5 Flight Test Device.
  The vehicle is a precursor to the planned Chang'e-5 mission and consists of a satellite bus similar to the Chang′e-2 lunar orbiter, topped with a reentry vehicle which appears to be a miniature Shenzhou landing module.
  The craft will make an 8-day flight to loop around the Moon and return to Earth. Calculations by user on the nasaspaceflight.com forum indicate that lunar closest approach was Oct 27 1903 UTC at a height of 11300 km.
• The Chang′e-5 Flight Test Vehicle (Chang′e wu hao feixing shiyan qi), also called the Reentry Return Flight Test Mission (Zai ru Fanhui Feixing Shiyan Renwu), passed around 11300 km from the Moon on Oct 27, 2014 and returned to Earth on Oct 31. The descent capsule separated from the main vehicle at 2153 UTC and landed north of Hohhot at 2242 UTC (in Siziwang Banner of China′s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region). The service module (fuwu cang) made a burn at 2156 UTC to avoid reentry and swung past the Earth to head out towards the Earth-Moon L2 point.
  
  
  Researchers retrieve the return capsule of China′s unmanned lunar orbiter, Nov. 1, 2014. Return capsule of China’s test lunar orbiter landed successfully in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to the Beijing Aerospace Control Center. Credit: Xinhua/Ren Junchuan
  
• The bus performed a divert maneuver to avoid re-entry and to put it on the way to the Earth-Moon L2 point.
  Orbits: -1282 km × 404729 km, 30.47° (outbound); 327 km × 402812 km, 46.12°; later L-2 Halo orbit.
  
  

  Chang'e 5-T1 Trajectory around L2

  
  
• China′s lunar probe, now referred to as the Lunar Exploration Program Phase 3′s: Return Reentry Flight Vehicle Service Module (RRTV-SM) (Tanyue gongcheng san qi zai ru fanhui feixingqi fuwu cang), entered a 20000 x 40000 x 35000 km Lissajous orbit around the Earth-Moon L2 Lagrange point on Nov 28, 2014. EML2 is 61000 km from the Moon and 446000 km from Earth′s center; the probe makes two orbits around the point each month.
• China′s Reentry Return Test Vehicle Service Module (RRTV-SM) departed the Earth-Moon L2 region on Jan 4, 2015 at 1500 UTC, arriving in a 200 x 5300 km lunar orbit at 0700 UTC on Jan 11. Following two further lunar orbit burns on Jan 12 and 13 it is now in a 200 x 200 km x 43.7 deg orbit around the Moon.
• From Mar 3, 2015 to Mar 7 it simulated rendezvous and docking with an ascent vehicle, maneuvering in a 18 x 180 km orbit.

External links:

• Spaceflight 101: Satellite Information

Astrophilately covers:

Landing Change5 - Credit: #411

Returning cancel