China
Orbital correction canceled as Chang´e one on expected trajectory
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Source: CCTV.com | 11-02-2007 09:12
Special Report: Chang'e I -Journey to the Moon |
The Aerospace Control Center says the Chang'e-One has been traveling on the expected trajectory. This has made the first orbital correction scheduled for Thursday unnecessary.
Chang'e-One's fourth orbital transfer was a critical move to push it on its flight to the moon. The probe was successfully shifted to the earth-moon transfer orbit. Researchers say Chang'e-One's error rate is only 0.03 percent, much more accurate than the required two percent. This led them to cancel the orbital correction.
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Tang Geshi from Beijing Aerospace Control Center said, "The canceling of the orbital correction was aimed at ensuring the probe's perfect safety because every adjustment needs the re-ignition of the engine on the probe and changing the moving status, which will bring more risks."
Chang'e-One had been expected to go through three orbital corrections before reaching the moon's orbit on Monday. After the probe enters the moon's orbit, it will brake several times to slow down so that it can be captured by the lunar gravity and become a real circumlunar satellite.
Editor:Zhang Ning
