On Dec. 14, 2013, “the beauty”, Chang’e (lunar goddess in ancient Chinese mythology) took leave of the hometown. Travelling for 13 days, she finally arrived to the moon palace 380,000 kilometers away.
The Chinese nation’s dream for centuries has finally achieved at this memorable moment. The stories about goddess Chang’e, Guanghan Palace and the moon are no longer just legends or myths. On Dec. 15, Yutu successfully separated from the lander and achieved mutual-photographing, which attracted attention from millions of people around the world, announcing the success of Chang’e-3 lunar probe mission.
After the separation between the lander and the rover, the human’s first lunar-based telescope, jointly developed by NAOC and XIOPM, was carried by Chang’e-3 and entered into working in the early morning on 16th and began to conduct lunar-based observation of stars.
Early in the morning on Dec. 22, Chang’e-3’s lander and rover took pictures of each other for the fifth time, transmitting clear panoramic photos of the five-star red flag on the lander for the first time and marking a “complete success” of the mutual-photographing. The rover later separated from the lander and began to test the moon surface and rolled to further area for survey on the moon surface. Taking by the rover, the panoramic camera started to observe the moon surface. Just like the eyes of the world people, it showed the travelling pictures of the moon surface. Companied by the panoramic camera and lunar-based optical telescope, Yutu and Chang’e were not lonely during the travel.
The ancient city Xi’an as capital of 13 dynasties, its thousands years’ history accumulated profound culture background. XIOPM, CAS, located at the southwest of this ancient city, orients to strategic development demands of the state, innovating and forward-looking. With its profound scientific accumulation and special advantages, XIOPM becomes one of the units that help the Chinese nation realize its thousands years’ dream. From the aspects of theories and technologies to application and innovation, XIOPM provided “shining eyes” including stereo camera, panoramic camera, lunar-based optical telescope, etc. for lunar probe mission. Chang’e lunar probe mission carries the Chinese dream and it has realized.
In order to promote our country to develop deep space scientific exploration, CAS, in 1998, started knowledge innovation-oriented project. Under the leadership of the academician Ouyang Ziyuan who is the chief scientist, the research team implemented the “study on lunar resources exploration satellite in China” and XIOPM, as one of the five member units of the research team, actively joined in the preliminary investigation, project demonstration and pre-research of the design plan of China’s lunar probe mission. In 2000, the research team officially submitted the report of “Study on Lunar Resources Exploration Satellite in China”. In August of the same year, Wang Daheng and other 9 academicians, experts group and review group established by final assembly, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MOST), CAS and higher institutions and other units carried out argumentation and scrutiny upon the report and gave highly appreciation. The report proposed the “3-steps idea”-rolling, landing and returning which is now widely accepted. Later, XIOPM undertook and had accomplished the “research of optical remote sensing system for the lunar probe” which was part of CAS’s project “research of key scientific technologies of lunar probe”. In January 2004, China’s lunar probe project was officially approved by the State Council. XIOPM has studied multiple payloads and parts for Chang’e-1, Chang’e-2 and Chang’e-3 missions, witnessing every step of China’s lunar probe mission.
Chang’e-1-Catching A Glimpse of the Moon and the Marvelous Moon Images Unveiled
On Oct. 24, 2007, China’s first lunar probe Chang’e-1 was successfully launched and began its exploration which would last for one year and four months. CCD stereo camera and TSMPIIS, developed by XIOPM, respectively played the roles of “picturing the moon”-getting images of the whole moon and participating in analysis of the elements content and distribution of material types on the moon surface. Meanwhile, XIOPM undertook the missions of developing UV star sensor optical system and medium-accuracy star sensor optical system.
During the Chang’e-1 mission, CCD stereo camera made great contributions and all Chinese people over the world felt exhilarated and proud. On Nov. 26, 2007, the image data taken by CCD stereo camera accomplished China’s first moon picture and the member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and Premier of the State Council Wen Jiabao personally unveiled it, marking a complete success of China’s first lunar probe mission. On Nov. 12, 2008, China’s first whole moon picture which was accomplished based on the image data taken by CCD stereo camera of XIOPM was officially released. Chang’e-1’s CCD stereo camera firstly realized to get images that covering 100% of the moon surface.
The first moon picture photographed by Chang’e-1’s stereo camera
When inspecting XIOPM, vice-minister of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China and chief commander of lunar probe mission Chen Qiufa gave the following high evaluation: In this lunar probe mission, XIOPM had developed CCD stereo camera. It not only successfully obtained images of the moon surface within 70 degrees at north and south latitudes but also additionally got images of visible light in lunar south and north poles. The quality of the moon images reached the advanced international level. XIOPM has contributed a lot to the success of China’s first lunar probe mission.
Five departments of China, including Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People’s Republic of China, Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, PRC, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, Chinese PLA General Armament Department and Chinese Academic of Sciences, granted XIOPM the title “Unit Contributing Distinctively in the First Lunar Probe Mission”. 7 S & T staff were praised and awarded kinds of honorary titles: researcher Zhao Baochang, chief designer of the project “optical imaging detection system” of Chang’e-1 probe, was awarded the honorary title “National May 1st Labor Medal” by All China Federation of Trade Unions; researcher and deputy chief designer Wen Desheng and researcher Yuan Yan as well as chief designer and researcher Gao Wei were awarded the honorary title “Outstanding Contributors in the First Lunar Probe Mission” by the above-mentioned five departments; researcher and the chief designer Qiu Yuehong was awarded the honorary title “China May 4th Youth Medal” by China’s Communist Youth League and All-China Youth Federation; researcher and the chief designer Ruan Ping was awarded the honorary title “National March 8th Woman Pacesetter” by All-China Women’s Federation.
Chang’e-2-Exploring the Landing Place on the Moon, Sinus Iridum
In accordance with the overall deployment of China’s lunar probe mission, Chang’e-2 mission, following the complete success of Chang’e-1 mission, was in full swing. On Aug. 8, 2008, XIOPM was officially committed to undertaking the task of developing high-accuracy stereo imaging camera for Chang’e-2.
Chang’e-2 mission was to prepare technology backup and subsequent project exploration for the probe’s landing after rolling. In order to ensure Chang’e-3’s lander and rover to land on the surface, the stereo camera carried by Chang’e-2 began to conduct high-resolution survey instead of the general survey before. It detected the landing place- Sinus Iridum in more detailed and accurate way and provided landform data of ultrahigh resolution of the area. The mission required that the image resolution should be higher than 1.5m when the probe was 15km away from the moon surface. The resolution upgraded about one hundred times that of Chang’e-1. At the same time, the mission tried to get the resolution higher than 10m on 100km’s lunar orbit which was the highest resolution of the whole moon image in the world. Lunar probe team of XIOPM worked hard and spent one year finishing the research which was supposed to need two to three years.
In Chang’e-2 mission, with perfect performance, CCD stereo camera successfully got HD images of Sinus Iridum of resolution about 1.3m and the whole moon picture of resolution of 7m, which laid a solid foundation to Chang’e-3’s landing mission. On Nov. 8, 2010, the member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and Premier of the State Council Wen Jiabao unveiled the image of part of Sinus Iridum for Chang’e-2, marking a complete success of Chang’e-2 mission.
Image of part of Sinus Iridum photographed by Chang’e-2’s stereo camera
After Chang’e-2 mission was completed successfully, XIOPM was granted “Unit Contributing Distinctively in Chang’e-2 Lunar Probe Mission”. Both Zhao Baochang, the chief designer of CCD stereo camera and Xue Bin, the chief designer of subject of velocity-height ratio compensation were awarded the title “Outstanding Contributors in Chang’e-2 Lunar Probe Mission” jointly by Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People’s Republic of China, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China, State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, PRC, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, Chinese PLA General Armament Department and Chinese Academy of Sciences. Researcher Zhao Baochang, on behalf of the prizewinners of the title “Outstanding Contributors in Chang’e-2 Lunar Probe Mission”, had the honour to make a speech in the Great Hall of the People and was awarded by the general secretary Hu Jintao. The general secretary Hu Jintao said “Congratulations. I appreciate for your and XIOPM’s hardworking”, which made the expert rather pleased. The expert’s answer “it supposed to be our job” extended the simple wishes of XIOPM people.
Chang’e-3-Rolling in the Sinus Iridum and Transmitting the Live Amazing Travel
Chang’e-1 and Chang’e-2 laid a great foundation for Chang’e-3’s landing. On Dec. 2, 2013, Chang’e-3 which undertaking the key task (landing) in phase II of China’s lunar probe mission had launched successfully. It carried China’s first moon rover (“Yutu”) as well as the moon landing dream-the century dream of Chinese nation, flying to the moon.
Chang’e-3 was composed of the lander and the rover, conducting the first soft landing and surveying, obtaining substance on the moon and doing the analysis. Attributed to the perfect performance in Chang’e-1 and Chang’e-2 missions, XIOPM was given the important task again, being appointed to develop two payloads and multiple parts for Chang’e-3 mission. The payloads developed by XIOPM undertook two scientific tasks and two project missions. The panoramic camera, payloads of the rover, was developed to conduct mutual-photographing of the lander and rover. Carried by the rover, it performed two project tasks of surveying and obtained 3-D optical images of the surveying area which could be used to analyze and study the landform, craters and geological structure of the surveying area. The mutual-photographing of the lander and rover marked the complete success of Chang’e-3 mission. Cooperating with NAOC, CAS, it developed the UV lunar-based optical telescope which was a payload of the lander. The UV lunar-based optical telescope undertook the scientific task of carrying out lunar-based optical astronomical observation, a great initial step of lunar probe history around the world. The rocket-borne camera devices developed by XIOPM was used to do real-time monitoring of carrier rocket’s launching and flight process. It realized live-broadcast for the first time of launch of Chang’e. XIOPM developed navigation of the rover and obstacle-avoiding camera optical system which could instruct the rover’s safety travel during its survey process on the moon surface. It also developed the optical system of star sensor which assisted the satellite and the lander in attitude determination measurement.
Unlike Chang’e-1 and Chang’e-2, the application environment of Chang’e-3’s payloads had changed. It was applied on the moon surface rather than in the orbit. So the working surroundings would be more severe and complicated and accurate system weight, volume and power consumption were demanded. Through multiple argumentations, experiments and optimizing the design for many times, researchers of XIOPM pulled together and finally developed the panoramic camera, lunar-based optical telescope, rocket-borne camera device, optical systems of navigation and obstacle-avoiding camera as well as optical system of star sensor which have high performance and high reliability and could adapt severe environment. XIOPM’s contribution to lunar probe mission makes millions of Chinese people witnessing Chang’e’s launching, marvelous scene on the moon and lunar-based observation of stars and many historic moments.
On Dec. 14, Chang’e-3 landed on the moon. On Dec. 15, the panoramic camera successfully took the photos of the lander, marking the compete success of Chang’e-3 mission. XIOPM again made important contribution to China’s lunar probe mission.
Photo of the lander taken by Chang’e-3’s panoramic camera
From Chang’e-1 to Chang’e-3, from a glimpse of the moon to rolling in the Sinus Iridum on the moon, XIOPM provided “shining eyes” to Chang’e, showing the people worldwide the mysterious moon, unveiling the moon’s veil. We have faith, we have determination and we have more expectations….
