Lunar Exploration

　　Chinese scientists gave a sneak peer atplans for the country’s first moon rover on September25 and invited the global public to comeup with a name for it.

　　Zhao Xiaojin, head of the Aerospace Departmentof the China Aerospace Science and TechnologyCorp., depicted the lunar rover as an orbiteradaptable to harsh environments, a highly efficientand integrated robot, and a high altitude “patrolman”carrying the dreams of Asia.

　　The Chang’e-3 mission to the moon, namedafter a Chinese lunar goddess, will take place in December,when a Chinese spacecraft will soft-landon a celestial body for the first time.

　　The rover has two wings, stands on six wheels,weighs 140 kg and will be powered by solar energy.“When it arrives in lunar orbit on board a lander,the rover will choose the best landing site andgently touch down on the moon’s surface, usingoptical and microwave sensors to avoid rocks andcraters,” Zhao said.

　　The rover will select the best route, use minimalfuel and avoid all possible errors during landing, hesaid.

　　Li Benzheng, deputy chief designer of China’slunar probe program, said the rover will recognizeobstacles on the moon’s surface, and plot a pathof least resistance by a combination of onboardnavigation systems and remote control from thecommand center.

　　The rover can “rest,” automatically entering adormant state to recharge its batteries, and returnto work after a while, Li said.

　　It can endure a vacuum, intense radiation andextremes of temperature. Temperatures on themoon’s surface can range from minus 180 to plus150 degrees Celsius, said Wu Weiren, the program’schief designer.

　　The rover is equipped with numerous detectorsand information gathering systems such as a panoramiccamera and radar measurement devices.

　　The rover will patrol the Earth’s natural satellite forabout three months.

　　The data collected by the rover, such as 3D images,infrared spectrums and lunar soil analysis, willdirectly and accurately lead to greater understandingof the moon.

　　Proposed names for the rover can be submittedthrough the Internet and the official name will beannounced in November after an online poll on theselected proposals.

　　China launched Chang’e-1 in 2007 andChang’e-2 in 2010. The first probe collected a largebody of data and a completed map of the moon.The second mission greatly enhanced the resolutionof the previous map and generated a highdefinitionimage of Sinus Iridium, a plain of basalticlava, considered by lunar observers to be one ofthe satellite’s most beautiful features.

　　The Chang’e-3 moon probe is part of thesecond stage of China’s three-stage lunar mission,orbiting, landing, and analyzing lunar soil andstone samples.