Lift Off Time |
December 7th, 2018 at 18:20 UTC |
|---|---|
Mission Name and what it is |
Chang’e 4, lunar lnder and lunar rover |
Launch Provider (What rocket company is launching it?) |
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) |
Customer (who’s paying for this?) |
China National Space Administration (CNSA) |
Rocket |
Long March 2D |
Launch Location |
Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China |
Payload mass |
Unknown |
Where’s the satellite going? |
Lunar Orbit and the Lunar Surface |
Will they be attempting to recover the first stage? |
No. The boosters of the rocket are not recoverable. |
Where will the first stage land? |
All stages will crash into the ocean like all other expendable rockets |
Will they be attempting to recover the fairing? |
No. The fairings are not recoverable. |
Will they be attempting to recover the second stage? |
No. The second stage is not recoverable. |
This will be the: |
36th mission for China in 2018. |
Where to watch |
No Stream available |
Image by Geoff Barrett
What’s all this mean?
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) will be launching the Chang’e 4 mission which includes a Lunar Lander and Lunar Rover for the China National Space Administration (CNSA), on top of one of their 4 stage Long March 3B rockets and will be launching from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China.
This launch appears to have an instantaneous Launch window of 18:20 UTC on Friday December 7th. The four liquid strap on boosters, as well as the 1st, 2nd, and 4th stages are fueled by toxic hypergolic propellants N2O4 (nitrogen tetroxide) and UDMH (Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine) Nasty Stuff! Although these propellants are highly toxic, they are Storable, which makes them easy to handle and the rocket stages are preloaded weeks or months before launch. The 3rd stage of the Long March 3B rocket however is fueled by LH2 (Liquid Hydrogen) and LOX (Liquid Oxygen) and thus has to be fueled on the pad prior to launch.
So What is the Payload?
Chang’e 4 will incorporate an orbiter already in space, and a robotic lander and rover being launched on this flight. Chang’e 4 will be China’s second lunar lander and rover, which was built as a backup to Chang’e 3. Following the successful landing of the Chang’e 3 mission, the configuration of Chang’e 4 was adjusted to meet new scientific objectives. Like its predecessors, the spacecraft is named after Chang’e, the Chinese Moon goddess.
The Chang’e 3 lander and rover that launched to the moon in December of 2013, 5 years ago. Credit: CNSA
This mission will attempt to determine the age and composition of an unexplored region of the Moon, as well as develop technologies required for the later stages of the program. Scientific goals include measuring lunar surface temperature over the duration of the mission, measuring the chemical compositions of lunar rocks and soils, studying cosmic rays, and more.
The next phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration program will see the Chang’e 5 and Chang’e 6 missions include Sample return vehicles instead of rovers that will bring Lunar samples back to Earth for study. This current mission will help determine landing sites for those future missions and enable China to move forward with eventual human exploration of the moon.
If you want the best way to know when a launch is coming, I’d suggest downloading the Launch Alarm app to stay in the know!
Thanks everybody, that’s gonna do it for me, I’m SpaceMike from TMRO. Helping to bring space down to Earth for everyday people. Keep on moving onwards and upwards, and don’t forget, Ad Astra, To The Stars!
3 Comments
I believe the 1st stage will not drown in Ocean as the lauch site is very inland of the China. This will be a “land land” in a hard way.
Shame that there is no live stream. Any chance of getting an Everday Astronaut member in China? ;)
I’m from China and sadly the CCTV did not live stream this launch. :(