How many challenges did Chang'e 5 experience? How to sample the lunar surface? Exclusive interview with the first commander of the moon exploration project
Chang'e-5 has reached orbit safely, the detector assembly has completed separation, and will choose an opportunity to implement a soft landing on the lunar surface. This time, the Chang'e-5 probe will carry out the first lunar surface sampling return in my country, and complete the three-step lunar exploration project. , Fall, return to the last step.
How was the three-step lunar exploration project formulated that year?
How many challenges will Chang'e 5 go through?
What are the unknown stories in the Chinese lunar exploration journey?
A CCTV reporter from the main station exclusively interviewed academician Luan Enjie, one of the planners of the lunar exploration project and the first commander-in-chief of the lunar exploration project, who is now 80 years old this year.
We determined the three steps to go back and forth at the time. Was it in the demonstration stage, or was it planned after the start?
Luan Enjie, the first commander-in-chief of the lunar exploration project, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: when it comes to demonstration.
At that time, the goals in my mind were all engineering goals, such as my carrying capacity, my orbital measurement and control ability to reach the moon, and the ability of my aircraft to be captured by the moon is relatively heavy in my mind, but after this is completed, I don’t know what your scientific goals look like.
How to determine to go back to three steps around the fall, and how to accomplish this goal?
Luan Enjie, the first commander-in-chief of the lunar exploration project, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: I couldn't answer at that time. I was an engineer and I couldn't answer exactly what I was going to do.
When proposing the overall plan at that time, the comrades of the Academy of Sciences proposed that not only did we want to do such a survey, but we also hoped that we would do basic in-situ surveys, and then it would be best to send astronauts back like the United States to get many things back. Send it to the moon and bring back something.
Can these three goals be achieved?
It is the so-called surround detection, and then contact in-situ detection, and then can get things back and conduct research on the ground.
Chang'e-5 is also known as the most difficult project in the history of Chinese spaceflight. What is the difficulty in you?
Luan Enjie, the first commander-in-chief of the lunar exploration project, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: First of all, we must be captured by the moon, how to close it in the gravitational field of the moon, so we must do the brakes to slow down, this ability is not our past Chang'e The ability of the No. 3 rocket can be accomplished because the Chang'e 5 that we sent this time weighs more than 8 tons.
After reaching the lunar orbit, the landing position of Chang'e 5 on the moon is a brand new attempt.
Luan Enjie, the first commander-in-chief of the lunar exploration project, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: When some of our mechanism devices are in operation, something unexpected may get stuck.
Because of the condition of the moon, my personal concern is that we are not very clear. Is the condition of the ground where the moon really sets, and the surrounding environment very flat?
Is there no other obstacles?
After the lander landed, sample collection began, which was another brand new attempt.
Luan Enjie, the first commander-in-chief of the lunar exploration project, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: After landing, I started sampling. We have a hand shovel, our lunar drilling mechanism. This is the first design in our country. I describe it as Harbin sausage.
When drilling, he needs to pack the drilled core and the core part into a package. This package is a long one, so it must be tightly wrapped and sealed like a sausage.
Because these soils cannot be contaminated by the earth when they are transferred to the earth, because the earth environment is different from the lunar environment, and some substances must be kept in a very clean environment to keep us from getting such things.
So we have a moon landing device, transfer these things to my ascender, the sample is sealed, and some mechanical devices such as our orbiter must be completed in my ascender.
After sampling, the Chang'e-5 ascender will launch on the moon, rendezvous and dock with the orbiter and the returner in the lunar orbit, transfer the lunar sample to the returner, and then return to the earth.
Luan Enjie, the first commander-in-chief of the lunar exploration project, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: There are many countries that can go to the moon, including Asia (Japan) and India, but returning from the moon is another big step.
Our country is listed as the third country that can sample from the moon and return.
In fact, it has been 16 years since you served as the commander-in-chief of China's lunar exploration project in 2004. So what kind of role does the Chang'e Project play in your mind?
Luan Enjie, the first commander-in-chief of the lunar exploration project, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: I feel that over the past ten years, I have watched it grow and make progress step by step, and our team is getting younger and younger. This is my greatest relief.
The current Chang'e team has grown up as a 34-year-old.
What do you say you are most happy about?
Someone is follow-up.
Sixteen years have passed, do you think your vision at the time has been realized?
Luan Enjie, the first commander-in-chief of the lunar exploration project, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: I have said that after we succeed, we will wait for the four kings to meet, and the project will end.
In 16 years, the third phase of the goal was completed, and our country has entered the ranks of an advanced country that can return from the moon to deep space exploration.
CCTV reporter Cui Xia Li Xia