China's lunar probe Chang'e-1 is expected to arrive at the
apogee of more than 120,000 kilometers from the earth on Monday
afternoon after its third orbital transfer after launch, according
to the moon probe team.
Ultraviolet image sensors installed on the satellite will begin
to work to collect information on the earth and the moon after it
enters the 48-hour orbit, Wang Yejun, chief engineer with the
Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) told Xinhua.
The images it collects will be transmitted back to the earth
when it enters the lunar orbit, Wang said.
The satellite will start its propeller when it begins the
transfer to raise its apogee from 70,000 kilometers to 120,000
kilometers, according to Wang.
Wang said the working time of Chang'e-1 engine will be longer
than that in the second transfer.
Since Saturday, surveillance posts, on land and sea, and four
astronomical observatories have kept watching over Chang'e-1.
According to the data received so far, all systems of the satellite
have been working normally.
(Xinhua News Agency October 29, 2007)