China’s First Lunar Probe Enters Moon Orbit
'Pakistan Times' Wire Service

BEIJING: China’s first lunar probe, Chang’e-1, successfully completed its first braking at perilune and entered the moon’s orbit Monday morning, becoming China’s first circumlunar satellite.

Chang’e-1, following the instructions of the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC), started braking at 11:15 a.m. at a position around 300 km away from the moon and entered the moon’s orbit at around 11:37 a.m. after completing the braking, according to the BACC.

Chang’e-1 will stay a year in the round orbit, which is 200 km from the moon’s surface, for scientific explorations.

It is expected that Chang’e-1 to relay the first picture of the moon in late November.

An earlier report had said that China’s first lunar probe, Chang’e-1, will reach the moon’s orbit Monday morning and currently, it was traveling on the expected trajectory, scientists said Sunday.

Chang’e-1, following the instructions of the Beijing Aerospace 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, the official media quoted 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.

“Currently, Chang’e-1 was traveling at a speed of more than 300 meters 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.●