Tianwen-1 Launch & Cruise Options

[nprev]

Launch currently scheduled for 23 Jul, time not yet announced. Please post updates here as you find them.

[Lewis007]

This site says the launch is around 04:00 GMT.
http://lk.astronautilus.pl/plan.htm

It's in Polish and says: "23.07.2020 około 04:00 z wyrzutni LC101 kosmodromu Wenchang wystrzelona zostanie RN CZ-5/YZ-2, która wyniesie na trajektorię międzyplanetarną wiodącą ku Marsowi sondę Tianwen-1."

which means (Google translate)
On July 23, 2020 around 04:00, the RN CZ-5 / YZ-2 will be launched from the Wenchang spacecraft LC101, which will carry the Tianwen-1 probe to the interplanetary trajectory leading to Mars.

[nprev]

Good mission overview article here. 3-hr launch window opens 23 Jul/0400 GMT.

[ollopa]

CCTV-13 just devoted the first 10 minutes of their evening bulletin to Tianwen-1. I missed the start, so I don't know if they flagged live coverage of the launch. I recorded most of the segment, but I'm pretty sure I can't post here (moderators?). Can someone translate the commentary? I can share the file by dropbox and s/he and I can then post a summary.

[ollopa]

The main evening news on CCTV-1 just spent 100 seconds on Tianwen-1 without apparently mentioning a launch date or plans for live coverage. Agan, I recorded it if anyone wants to take a crack at translating?

[nprev]

Unfortunately, yeah, a 10-min video file would be wayyyy too large to post here, ollopa. However, please feel free to post a link to it if you can host it somewhere. How big is the 100 sec file?

[ollopa]

SciNews has since posted an edited version with English sub-titles: https://bit.ly/Tianwen-1

I am still interested in linking up with someone interested in collaborating in fast-turnaround translations of Chinese TV reports (including Chang'e and Tianwen)

[nprev]

Spaceflight Now reporting launch time is 0445 GMT, or roughly 1 hr 45 min from now as I write this. Anybody got a lead on live coverage if any is to be had?

[Ron Hobbs]

Alan Boyle has links to a couple of Chinese language feeds. One is showing what looks like a live picture from Wenchang.

Alan Boyle's Twitter

[Ron Hobbs]

Go Tianwen-1

[Explorer1]

Looks like they launched, according to the unofficial streams.
Now the wait begins...

[nprev]

Thanks for the link, Ron. That video was...uh...unique.

Safe travels, Tianwen-1!!!

[Hungry4info]

Tianwen-1 deployed a camera that took images of the spacecraft en route to Mars.
There's also a .gif showing the camera deploying taken from Tianwen-1.
https://twitter.com/Cosmic_Penguin/status/1...497637351231491

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[Marcin600]

This page has some information about how these selfi photos have been taken (in Chinese). [or actually: how and for what purpose ]

There is also a rather illustrative animation.

Below are some quotes from this page - a very coarse Google translation:

"...A camera weighing only 680 grams is unlocked, and it is gradually moving away from the spacecraft at a speed of about 0.2 meters per second; while gradually moving away from the spacecraft, "Tianwen-1" with the national flag is taken from near to far. Considering that the camera may turn over as it gradually moves away, the development team designed the camera as a dual-camera to ensure that the camera can capture as many spacecraft images as possible during the turning process..."

"...The separation device enables the camera to "differentiate"; the use of color imaging, with two resolutions of 800×600 and 1600×1200, allows the image to be “clearly captured”; the use of super-strong WiFi communication that can achieve 400 meters of wireless communication allows Data can be "passed back"; the use of disposable batteries that can provide power for longer than 1 hour allows the camera to "stick it" and allows the ground to see the full picture of the "Tianwen-1"..."


"...On October 1, on the occasion of the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival, the National Space Administration released the flight images of the "Tianwen-1" probe, and the five-star red flag was shining in space..."

[Phil Stooke]

A very interesting paper has just been released in the 'accepted' paper category by the Journal of Deep Space Exploration:

http://jdse.bit.edu.cn/sktcxb/en/article/d...020.20190708001

"Analysis and selection of landing areas for China 2020 Mars Mission"

It's in Chinese, but an English version will probably appear soon in another journal - that's common practice. The abstract is in English as well as Chinese.

The illustrations show the sites. 2 are in Chryse, 5 are in the Isidis region and one is in the highlands about 1000 km west of InSight. One site is in Jezero crater, but the three favoured sites (e, f and g) are in Isidis, I will make some illustrations of the sites soon, but for a start here is the Isidis set:



(Gale crater is at bottom right)

Phil