Top: Chang'e 3 lander on the Moon Bottom: Yutu rover on lunar surface | |
Mission type | Lander and rover |
---|---|
Operator | CNSA |
COSPAR ID | 2013-070A |
SATCAT no. | 39458 |
Mission duration | Lander: 1 year (planned) Current: 10 years, 8 months, 11 days Rover: 3 months (planned)[1] Final: 2 years, 229 days |
Spacecraft properties | |
Manufacturer | China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) |
BOL mass | 3,780 kg (8,330 lb)[2] |
Landing mass | 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) Rover: 140 kg (310 lb)[3] |
Dimensions | Rover: 1.5 m (4.9 ft) long, 1.0 m high |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 17:30, 1 December 2013 (UTC)[4] |
Rocket | Long March 3B Y-23 |
Launch site | Xichang LC-2 |
Contractor | |
Lunar lander | |
Landing date | 13:11, 14 December 2013 (UTC) |
Landing site | Mare Imbrium 44°07′17″N 19°30′42″W / 44.1214°N 19.5116°W |
Lunar rover | |
Landing date | 13:11, 14 December 2013 (UTC) |
Landing site | Mare Imbrium |
Distance driven | 114.8 m (377 ft)[5] |
Chang'e probes |
History of the People's Republic of China |
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Chang'e 3 ( /tʃæŋˈʌ/; Chinese: 嫦娥三号; pinyin: Cháng'é Sānhào; lit. 'Chang'e No. 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.[4][6] The mission's chief commander was Ma Xingrui.[7]
The spacecraft was named after Chang'e, the goddess of the Moon in Chinese mythology, and is a follow-up to the Chang'e 1 and Chang'e 2 lunar orbiters. The rover was named Yutu (Chinese: 玉兔; lit. 'Jade Rabbit') following an online poll, after the mythological rabbit that lives on the Moon as a pet of the Moon goddess.[8]
Chang'e 3 achieved lunar orbit on 6 December 2013[9] and landed on 14 December 2013,[10] becoming the first spacecraft to soft-land on the Moon since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976[11] and the third country to successfully achieve the feat.[12] On 28 December 2015, Chang'e 3 discovered a new type of basaltic rock, rich in ilmenite, a black mineral.[13]
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