Chang'e 1

Mission type

Lunar orbiter

Operator

China National Space Administration

COSPAR ID

2007-051A

Mission duration

Planned: 1 year
Achieved: 1 year, 4 months, 4 days

Spacecraft properties

Launch mass

2,350 kilograms (5,180 lb)

Start of mission

Launch date

24 October 2007, 10:05:04.602 UTC

Rocket

Chang Zheng 3A

Launch site

Xichang LC-3

End of mission

Disposal

Deorbited

Decay date

1 March 2009, 08:13:10 UTC

Orbital parameters

Reference system

Selenocentric

Periselene

200 kilometres (120 mi)

Aposelene

200 kilometres (120 mi)

Inclination

64 degrees

Period

127 minutes

Lunar orbiter

Orbital insertion

5 November 2007

Impact site

1°30′S 52°22′E / 1.50°S 52.36°E

Chinese Lunar Exploration Program
	Chang'e 2 →

Chang'e 1 (pronunciation: /tʃæŋˈʌ/; simplified Chinese: 嫦娥一号; traditional Chinese: 嫦娥一號; pinyin: Cháng'é yī hào) was an unmanned Chinese lunar-orbiting spacecraft, part of the first phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program. The spacecraft was named after the Chinese Moon goddess, Chang'e.

Chang'e 1 was launched on 24 October 2007 at 10:05:04 UTC from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. It left lunar transfer orbit on 31 October and entered lunar orbit on 5 November. The first picture of the Moon was relayed on 26 November 2007. On 12 November 2008, a map of the entire lunar surface was released, produced from data collected by Chang'e 1 between November 2007 and July 2008.

The mission was scheduled to continue for a year, but was later extended and the spacecraft operated until 1 March 2009, when it was taken out of orbit. It impacted the surface of the Moon at 08:13 UTC. Data gathered by Chang'e 1 was able to create the most accurate and highest resolution 3-D map ever created of the lunar surface. Chang'e 1 is the first lunar probe to conduct passive, multi-channel, microwave remote sensing of the Moon by using a microwave radiator.

Its sister orbital probe Chang'e 2 was launched on 1 October 2010.

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