The Chang’E-1 orbiter plays a distinctive role in China’s first successful selenodetic lunar mission

Abstract

The first Chinese lunar orbiter Chang'E-1 is a successful mission with many fruitful results obtained in various disciplines. The scientific data acquired by the Chang'E-1 payloads can benefit studies of the lunar origin and evolution, as well as other relevant research areas, after careful validation of the data. Among the new results, the Chang'E-1 selenodetic products are continually uncovering characteristics of the lunar surface, undersurface and inner structure. Successful lunar orbiters such as the Clementine, Lunar Prospector, KAGUYA/SELENE, Chang'E-1, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and GRAIL have been revealing, with increasing clarity, global selenodetic characteristics with state-of-the-art fine resolution and high precision. In particular, the Chang'E-1 plays an important distinctive role in selenodetic exploration through enhancing lunar topography and gravity models. The gravity model has been successfully improved with a factor of two after applying the Chang'E-1 long-wavelength tracking data. Using the new models, some medium-scale lunar surface characteristics such as basins and volcanoes have been identified. Furthermore, the old mascon basins of Bouguer, gravity anomaly and craters have been discovered with the Chang'E-1 selenodetic data.Chang'E-1, lunar orbiter, lunar science, selenodesy, topography, gravity PACS: 91.10.Fc, 95.40.+s, 96.12.Bc, 96.12.Qr, 95.10.Eg, 95.75.De

Review of the Precise Orbit Determination for Chinese Lunar Exploration Projects

“…China's lunar exploration has been going on for over 13 years beginning with the Chang’e 1 launched in 2007 (Ping et al., 2011). Precise Orbit Determination (POD) technology was realized and tested on this mission, and was the first step toward follow‐up Chinese deep space explorations (Chen et al., 2011; Duan et al., 2019).…”

Review of the precise orbit determination for Chinese lunar exploration projects

“…China's lunar exploration has been going on for over 13 years beginning with the Chang'e 1 launched in 2007 (Ping et al, 2011). Precise Orbit Determination (POD) technology was realized and tested on this mission, and was the first step toward follow-up Chinese deep space explorations (Chen et al, 2011;Duan et al, 2019).…”