Chang'e 3 creates opportunities for NASA
- By Liu Qiang
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E-mail China.org.cn, December 2, 2013
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| China's Chang'e 3 mission will not impact the American lunar mission [China.org.cn] |
![China's Chang'e 3 mission will not impact the American lunar mission [China.org.cn]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20131202/8c89a590f56e1406730e01.jpg "China's Chang'e 3 mission will not impact the American lunar mission [China.org.cn]")
American experts have dismissed concerns that China's Chang'e 3 mission will impact the American lunar mission, and argue that Chang'e 3 is a unique opportunity for the U.S.
NASA launched the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) in September this year. The NASA lunar exploration mission is designed to study the moon's thin exosphere and its dust environment.
There have been concerns that the propellant emitted by the Chang'e 3 lunar probe when it lands on the surface of the moon will contaminate the lunar exosphere, which will affect the LADEE's measurements.
Michael Rich, physics and astronomy expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that the Chang'e 3 will have very little impact on the LADEE and will not cause problems for NASA's lunar probe. Planetary scientist Emily Lakdawalla said that the Chang'e 3 is more of "an opportunity" for LADEE.
According to Jeff Plescia, a space scientist at Johns Hopkins University, the propellant will be released at a relatively high altitude after the Chang'e spacecraft enters a lunar orbit and then at different altitudes as the spacecraft descends onto the moon's surface. LADEE will be able to observe how the propellant disperses into the lunar exosphere and then how it is later removed. This will be a unique opportunity.
The Chang'e 3 lunar probe is composed of a lunar lander and a solar-powered moon rover called Yutu or Jade Rabbit. After the Chang'e 3 touches down, the Jade Rabbit will start its scientific mission on the surface of the moon.
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