What is the China’s first spacecraft to the Moon called?

Chang’e 1 was China’s first spacecraft to travel beyond Earth’s orbit. Its mission included stereoscopic imaging of the lunar surface, assaying the chemistry of the surface, and testing technologies that could be used in expanding the Chinese national space program to the Moon. 

Chang’e 1 carried eight instruments. A stereo camera and a laser altimeter developed a three-dimensional map of the surface with the camera tilting forward, down, and aft to illuminate three charge-coupled device (CCD) arrays. The interferometer spectrometer imager used a special lens system to project light onto an array of CCDs. X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometers measured radiation emitted by naturally decaying heavy elements or produced in response to solar radiation. These spectral data helped quantify the amounts of minerals on the lunar surface. The microwave radiometer detected microwaves emitted by the Moon itself and thus measured the thickness of the debris layer, or regolith, that fills the huge basins called maria. One aim of the regolith investigations was understanding how much helium-3 may be on the Moon. Helium-3 is a trace element in the solar wind, and the lunar surface has absorbed larger quantities of helium-3 than have been found on Earth. If mining on the Moon ever becomes practical, helium-3 would be a valuable fuel for nuclear fusion power. Other instruments monitored the solar wind and the space environment.

Credit : Britannica

Picture Credit : Google

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *