Chang'e Missions

The Chang'e missions are a series of lunar probes launched by China National Space Administration (CNSA). The missions are named after a goddess in Chinese legend who is said to have flown from Earth to the Moon. The missions are part of China's Lunar Exploration Program, which is divided into four phases:

  • Orbiting: Chang'e 1 (CE-1) and Chang'e 2 (CE-2) reached lunar orbit in 2007 and 2010, respectively

  • Landing: Chang'e 3 (CE-3) landed on the Moon in 2013 and Chang'e 4 (CE-4) landed in 2019

  • Sample return: Chang'e 5 (CE-5) returned lunar samples to Earth in 2020 and Chang'e 6 (CE-6) returned samples in 2024

  • Robotic research station: A robotic research station will be developed near the Moon's south pole

Here are some highlights from the Chang'e missions:

Mission

Launch/Landing Date

Mission Type

Landing Site

Description

CE-1

Launched on Oct. 24, 2007

Orbiter

 N/A

Mapped the Moon's surface and chemistry; created a 3D map of the moon.

CE-2

Launched on Oct. 1, 2010

Orbiter

 N/A Mapped lunar surface with greater detail than CE-1, and tested the TT&C network.
CE-3 ([1]) Landed on Dec. 14, 2013

Lander and Rover

 at (-19.5117°E, 44.1214°N) in northern Mare Imbrium

The first Chinese soft-landing on the Moon, surface exploration with the Yutu rover. Surveyed the Moon's surface and geology, and attempted to measure the structure and depth of the lunar soil.

CE-4 ([2])

Landed on Jan. 3, 2019

Lander and Rover

at (177.6°E, 45.5°S) within Von Kármán crater

The first spacecraft to land on the moon's far side, surface exploration with Yutu-2 rover.

CE-5 ([3])

Landed on Dec. 1, 2020

Near side sample Return Mission

at (-51.9161°E, 43.0576°N), near Mons Rümker in Oceanus Procellarum

Collected lunar samples and returned 1.731 kg of samples to Earth.

CE-6 ([4])

Landed on June 1 2024

Far side sample Return Mission

at (-153.9852°E, 41.6385° S) in the southern part of the Apollo crater

Collected samples from the far side of the moon and returned them to Earth.

CE-7

Planned in 2026

Orbiter, Lander, Rover, Hopper

 

Comprehensive lunar exploration including polar regions.

CE-8

Planned in 2028

Technology Demonstration

 

Test key technologies for lunar base construction.

The CE-1 and CE-2 missions comprised the first phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP)’s Chang’e Project. They were intended to test navigation and communication systems, produce high-resolution maps of the lunar surface, conduct assorted geophysics and heliophysics investigations, and more generally enable surface operations planned for later phases of the Project. They each hosted a similar suite of surface-observing instruments: a visible-band stereo camera (CCD), a laser altimeter (LAM), X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometers (XRS and GRS), and a 4-channel microwave radiometer (MRM). They also each hosted a heliophysics package: a high-energy particle detector (HPD) and a solar wind ion detector (SWID). The CE-2 CCD’s design differed significantly from the CE-1 CCD’s, but all other instruments were identical in construction, subject to few if any modifications [5]. In addition to these instruments, CE-1 also hosted a 32-band NUV-NIR imaging interferometer (IIM) ([6], [7]).

 

Search Chang'e data in Lunar ODE: Product Search • Map Search

Note: NASA is generally disallowed from funding collaborations with Chinese entities [8]. The Chang'e data in ODE are calibrated (L2C) and derived data products from the CE-1 and CE-2 Microwave Radiometer (MRM) instruments, produced by US individual data providers with NASA support under grant #80NSSC20K1430.

 

More information about the mission can be found in the following documents:

 

  • [1]: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2013-070A . Retrieved 8 January 2025.

  • [2]: "China successfully lands Chang'e-4 on far side of Moon". Retrieved 8 January 2025.

  • [3]: Jones, Andrew (7 June 2017). "China confirms landing site for Chang'e-5 Moon sample return". GB Times. Retrieved 8 January 2025.

  • [4]: Williams, David R. (7 December 2018). "Future Chinese Lunar Missions". NASA. Retrieved 8 January 2025.

  • [5]: Most CE-2 instruments were in fact flight spares from CE-1, including the MRM. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, all technical specifications given in this document for the MRM apply equally to both CE-1 and CE-2.

  • [6]: Huixian, S., Shuwu, D., Jianfeng, Y., Ji, W., Jingshan, J., 2005. Scientific objectives and payloads of Chang’E-1 lunar satellite. J. Earth Syst. Sci. 114, 789–794. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02715964

  • [7]: Zuo, W., Li, C., Zhang, Z., 2014. Scientific data and their release of Chang’E-1 and Chang’E-2. Chin. J. Geochem. 33, 24–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-014-0657-3

  • [8]: "Pursuant to The Department of Defense and Full-Year Appropriation Act, Public Law 112-10, Section 1340(a); The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriation Act of 2012, Public Law 112-55, Section 539; and future-year appropriations (hereinafter, "the Acts"), NASA is restricted from using funds appropriated in the Acts to enter into or fund any grant or cooperative agreement of any kind to participate, collaborate, or coordinate bilaterally with China or any Chinese-owned company, at the prime recipient level or at any subrecipient level, whether the bilateral involvement is funded or performed under a no-exchange of funds arrangement."