Chang'e-1 to reach moon orbit today

时间：2007-11-05 08:01:49

（单词翻译:单击）


 
BEIJING, Nov. 5 - China's first lunar probe, Chang'e-1, will reach the moon's orbit Monday morning and currently, it was traveling on the expected trajectory1, scientists said Sunday.

 

Chang'e-1, following the instructions of the Beijing Aerospace2 Control Center (BACC), will carry out its first braking at perilune at about 11:00 a.m. Monday to slow down, so that it can be captured by the lunar gravity and become a circumlunar satellite, said Wang Yejun, chief engineer of BACC.

 

"The speed of Chang'e-1 can reach 2.4 km per second when it arrives at perilune, and it will likely fly away from the moon if the braking is not conducted in time," Wang said.

 

"The first braking at perilune is another key moment in the long journey of Chang'e-1," he said.

 

China's first lunar probe, Chang'e-1, named after a legendary3 Chinese goddess who flew to the moon, blasted off on a Long March 3A carrier rocket on Oct. 24 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern Sichuan Province.

 

The probe completed its fourth orbital transfer late Wednesday afternoon, shifting out of its 120,000-kilometer orbit around the Earth and moving toward a 380,000-kilometer circumlunar orbit.

 

BACC successfully carried out an orbital correction for Chang'e-1 Friday morning to ensure that it travels on the pre-set orbit.

 

A second orbital correction scheduled for Sunday morning has been called off because it was "unnecessary" -- Chang'e-1 has been running accurately4 on the expected trajectory, a BACC scientist said.

 

"Currently, Chang'e-1 was traveling at a speed of more than 300meters per second toward perilune, and all data show that the satellite is operating well," Tang Geshi, BACC scientist told Xinhua late Sunday afternoon.

 

"We're now studying how to ensure the success of the first braking for Chang'e-1," he said.

 

After the probe entered the moon's orbit, it would brake several more times to slow down, scientists have said.

 

It is scheduled to relay the first picture of the moon in late November and would then continue scientific explorations of the moon for a year.

 

The 2,350-kg satellite carried eight probing facilities, including a stereo camera and interferometer, an imager and gamma/x-ray spectrometer, a laser altimeter, a microwave detector5, a high energy solar particle detector and a low energy ion detector.

 

It will fulfill6 four scientific objectives, including a three-dimensional survey of the Moon's surface, analysis of the abundance and distribution of elements on lunar surface, an investigation7 of the characteristics of lunar regolith and the powdery soil layer on the surface, and an exploration of the circumstance between the earth and the moon.

 

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1 trajectory fJ1z1     
n.弹道，轨道
参考例句：
  • It is not difficult to sketch the subsequent trajectory.很容易描绘出它们最终的轨迹。
  • The path followed by a projectile is called its trajectory.抛物体所循的路径称为它的轨道。
2 aerospace CK2yf     
adj.航空的，宇宙航行的
参考例句：
  • The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
  • Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。
3 legendary u1Vxg     
adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）
参考例句：
  • Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
  • Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。
4 accurately oJHyf     
adv.准确地，精确地
参考例句：
  • It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
  • Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。
5 detector svnxk     
n.发觉者，探测器
参考例句：
  • The detector is housed in a streamlined cylindrical container.探测器安装在流线型圆柱形容器内。
  • Please walk through the metal detector.请走过金属检测器。
6 fulfill Qhbxg     
vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意
参考例句：
  • If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
  • This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。
7 investigation MRKzq     
n.调查，调查研究
参考例句：
  • In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
  • He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

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