Xinhua reported on Sunday that China intends to launch a spacecraft that would orbit the moon and then return to Earth. The idea is to test a crucial technology for a sample return mission from the lunar surface, designated as Chang’e 5, which will be undertaken later this decade. The launch of the lunar orbiter is scheduled to take place later this year. China has conducted an extensive unpiloted exploration of the moon, sending several probes to Earth’s nearest neighbor. The Chang’e 1 and the Chang’e 2 orbited the moon, mapping and otherwise remote sensing its surface. The Chang’e 3 landed a rover, called Yutu, on the lunar surface in late 2013. The Yutu failed in January, likely due to a mechanical defect, but is said to still be returning data. Chang’e 4 is thought to be a repeat mission of Chang’e 3, which will no doubt incorporate lessons learned from the failure of the Yutu. Change’e 5 would land on the moon, collect geological samples, and return them to Earth. Beyond that is a matter of debate. Speculation abounds in the media that China’s ultimate goal for the moon is mining deposits of an isotope called Helium 3. Helium 3 does not exist in nature on Earth, but has been deposited in lunar soil by billions of years of solar wind. It is thought to be the key for clean, limitless fusion energy. The Fusion Technology Institute in Madison, Wisconsin has been examining the use of helium 3 for decades. The problem is that there is only a tiny amount of the substance available on Earth, mainly as a byproduct of nuclear experiments. This would seem to cry out for a return to the lunar surface to capture significant amounts to helium 3 to further research and development. While a number of private companies, such as Moon Express, are interested in mining the moon, an official NASA led return to the moon was ruled out by President Obama’s directive.
-
Archives
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- June 2022
- January 2022
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
-
Meta