The millennium Chinese dream of flying to the sky, with Chang'e returning to the moon in twenty years.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, "The decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to implement the lunar exploration project is the realization of the Chinese nation's indomitable dream of flying to explore the moon. Every bold idea and successful implementation of lunar exploration is a full demonstration of humanity's ability to understand and utilize the planet
Forge ahead with determination, spring blossoms and autumn fruits. Over the past 20 years, China's lunar exploration project has grown from scratch, from small to large, from weak to strong, and has embarked on a high-quality and efficient path of lunar exploration.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, under the care and guidance of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, China's lunar exploration project has achieved remarkable achievements that have attracted worldwide attention. It has made new contributions to exploring the mysteries of the universe and enhancing human well-being, and has made outstanding contributions to comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and national rejuvenation with Chinese style modernization.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has a far sighted and timely assessment of the situation, and has made strategic plans for the continued implementation of major aerospace projects such as lunar exploration and deep space exploration from the perspective of the overall development of the Party and the country. He has pointed out the direction for accelerating the construction of a strong aerospace and scientific and technological country, and promoted China's lunar exploration project to achieve a historic leap forward
On the afternoon of June 25, 2024, on the Amugulang Grassland in Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia. Under the azure sky, a large red and white umbrella slowly descended - the Chang'e-6 spacecraft carried a sample of the moon's back home!
After completing a 53 day space journey, Chang'e-6 achieved the first ever return of samples from the far side of the moon in human history.
The New York Times reported that the samples brought back by the Chang'e-6 mission may provide clues for studying the origins of the Moon and Earth. This is the latest achievement of China's lunar exploration program, demonstrating the increasingly comprehensive strength of China's aerospace industry and marking another victory for China's series of lunar exploration missions.
Since its implementation in 2004, China's lunar exploration project has been connected step by step, with continuous breakthroughs and victories
In 2007, Chang'e-1 successfully orbited the moon, realizing the Chinese nation's millennium dream of flying to the moon;
From 2010 to 2012, Chang'e-2 achieved high-precision mapping of the moon, scientific exploration of the Lagrange L2 point between the sun and the earth, and exploration of the Tutatis asteroid flyby;
In 2013, Chang'e-3 successfully landed on the moon with the Yutu lunar rover;
In 2019, Chang'e-4 achieved the first lunar back landing and patrol exploration by humans;
In 2020, Chang'e-5 collected 1731 grams of lunar samples from the near side of the moon and returned them to Earth;
In 2024, Chang'e-6 will bring back humanity's first 1935.3 grams of precious lunar soil on the far side of the moon
The level of space technology is an important indicator of a country's scientific and technological strength, as well as an important indicator of a country's economic strength, comprehensive national strength, and national defense strength;
The depth of technological innovation has significantly deepened, and deep space exploration has become the high ground of technological competition;
Practice tells us that great undertakings are based on innovation. Innovation determines the future. Building a world science and technology power is not an easy path, only innovation can seize the opportunity;
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At that time, 380000 kilometers away from Earth, Chang'e-3 successfully landed in the Hongwan area of the moon, and the Yutu lunar rover safely left the lander and arrived at the moon's surface. At 23:45, after receiving and processing ground data, a clear image of the "Yutu" lunar rover was displayed on the large screen in the flight control hall, with a bright and eye-catching five-star red flag.
On the journey of building a socialist modernized strong country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, every industry and every individual must have dreams in their hearts, work hard, take one step at a time, stick after stick, and achieve their dreams through hard running and continuous struggle
On the morning of February 22, 2021, the Great Hall of the People was brightly lit and warm. General Secretary Xi Jinping took a photo with representatives of the research and testing personnel of the Chang'e-5 mission. Sitting next to him were Academician Sun Jiadong, the first chief designer of the lunar exploration project who is over 90 years old, and Academician Luan Enjie, the first chief commander of the lunar exploration project who is over 80 years old.
One photo after another, freeze the smile; Repeated reminders are inspiring.
Efforts should be made to improve the mechanism for talent development, and to support and encourage scientific and technological personnel to innovate and create to the greatest extent possible;
We should be open-minded and discerning, and let go of the use of outstanding young talents to provide a stage for them to innovate and stand out;
To inspire more scientific experts, leading talents, young talents, and innovative teams to stand at the forefront, forge ahead with determination, create new achievements through practical work, and realize their life value in promoting the great cause;
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Starting from dreams, based on innovation, and achieved through practical work.
In the blink of an eye over the past 20 years, China's "circle of friends" for lunar exploration has continued to expand.
Chang'e-6 carries four international scientific payloads from the European Space Agency, France, Italy, and Pakistan; Six international payloads have been selected for the Chang'e-7 mission; The Chang'e-8 mission provides about 200 kilograms of payload space to the international community and has received over 30 cooperation applications.
In May of this year, Hora Mani, Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, expressed appreciation for the international cooperation spirit demonstrated by China's lunar exploration spacecraft carrying payloads from various countries after observing the launch of Chang'e-6 on site, and looked forward to China making greater contributions to human outer space exploration.
In July of this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping stated at the Astana Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization+that China welcomes all parties to participate in the construction of the International Lunar Research Station.
In recent years, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly promoted cooperation in the construction of international lunar research stations on international occasions. At present, more than 10 countries (international organizations) and over 40 international institutions have signed relevant cooperation agreements with China.
"China is willing to work with other countries to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, jointly explore the mysteries of the universe, make peaceful use of outer space, and promote space technology to better benefit people around the world."
The solemn commitment of China in building a community with a shared future for mankind in the new era is resounding!
The Party Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, has coordinated and meticulously deployed, strengthened the country's strategic scientific and technological capabilities, improved the new national system, and China's lunar exploration project has bravely climbed to a new peak in world aerospace technology, embarking on a new journey to achieve high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement
For thousands of years, humans have looked at the moon to express their emotions, only seeing the front side of the moon. The moon always faces away from us, mysterious and ancient. Since the 1950s, there have been over 100 lunar explorations worldwide, achieving 10 positive lunar sampling returns.
The moon's back, which is rarely explored, harbors unknowns and is full of challenges. James Head, a scholar at Brown University in the United States, once lamented that without samples retrieved from the moon, scientists would not be able to fully understand the moon as a complete celestial body.
Dare to take the path that others have not taken, and constantly pursue excellence in overcoming difficulties.
The Party Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has coordinated and meticulously deployed efforts to strengthen the country's strategic scientific and technological capabilities, improve the new national system, and embark on a new journey of achieving high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement in China's lunar exploration project.
In January 2019, Chang'e-4 broke through the world's difficult problem of landing on the back of the moon.
In December 2020, Chang'e-5 successfully retrieved the "youngest" lunar soil discovered in previous studies from the northern hemisphere of the Moon's near side.
On June 25, 2024, Chang'e-6 brought back the first lunar back sample for humans.
What do we dare to be the first? "Exclaimed Hu Hao, the chief designer of the Chang'e-5 and Chang'e-6 missions." Without the traditional advantage of socialist concentration of power to accomplish great things, and without the support of a new national system, the 17 year three-step plan of 'circumnavigation, descent, and return' for China's lunar exploration project could not have been completed on schedule
"When the project was first established, there was no ready-made scheme to learn from at home and abroad, and it was very difficult to build your own system on a blank sheet of paper." Long Lehao, senior consultant of the Long March series carrier rockets and academician of the CAE Member, who presided over the demonstration of the selection of China's lunar exploration carrier rockets, said frankly.
From the construction of large-scale testing facilities such as landing and takeoff test sites to the establishment of deep space data receiving stations, sample storage centers, and a global deep space measurement and control network comparable to the United States and Europe, from the development of the Long March 5 carrier rocket to the construction of the low latitude Wenchang launch site in Hainan... A blueprint has been drawn to the end, and the whole country is playing a game of chess.
The government, military, research institutions, and enterprises collaborate to promote the integration of five major systems, including the overall project, detectors (satellites), launch vehicles, launch and recovery, measurement and control, and ground applications. Just taking out any of these systems can be described as' one gun for ten thousand people '.
Over the past 20 years, such a large-scale, complex, and highly integrated project has successively broken through key technologies such as the design of the Earth Moon transfer orbit, lunar soft landing, lunar takeoff and ascent, lunar orbit rendezvous and docking, high-speed re-entry and return, and promoted technological innovation in fields such as new devices, new materials, new processes, and new energy, creating a Chinese miracle of "no decrease in indicators, no delay in progress, no increase in funding, and exceeding tasks".
Courage and strength are honed through struggle.
The new era is the era of strugglers. The new era is the era of achieving great things and cultivating talents through struggle
How many sleepless nights, how many times to start over. In order to adapt to the new mission requirements, the researchers of Chang'e-6 carried out extensive adaptation and optimization design on the basis of Chang'e-5, "making the plan to the extreme" and "not allowing a single screw to slip".
On December 31, 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping listed major breakthroughs in scientific exploration such as Chang'e-5 in his New Year's message.
On February 22, 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping encouraged everyone to "continue to leverage the advantages of the new national system and increase efforts in independent innovation" during a meeting with representatives of the research and testing personnel of the Chang'e-5 lunar exploration project and a visit to the exhibition of lunar samples and achievements of the lunar exploration project.
Building a new "Magpie Bridge" between the Earth and the Moon, achieving a "spectacular drop" on the Moon's back, "treasure digging" focusing on "fast, stable, and accurate", "three-step takeoff" on the Moon's back, and "home shuttle" for the Moon's back treasures
Chang'e-6 has achieved three major technological breakthroughs, including the design and control of the lunar retrograde orbit, intelligent sampling on the far side of the moon, and takeoff and ascent on the far side of the moon. It has carried out the most complex deep space exploration mission in China to date, ultimately achieving a brilliant and unparalleled space relay.
Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China's lunar exploration project is writing a more magnificent chapter of the times, and the dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will surely be engraved in the history of human civilization progress
In late July, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Thailand, samples of lunar soil from China's Chang'e-5 mission attracted a continuous stream of visitors.
77 year old Bangkok resident Wei Jida read the popular science introduction about China's lunar exploration project and soil collection process carefully, while repeatedly saying "surprise".
The Chinese lunar exploration project has always adhered to the principles of "equality, mutual benefit, peaceful use, and win-win cooperation" to sincerely embrace the world. The discovery of "Chang'e Stone" and molecular water in lunar soil deepens human understanding of the moon and solar system.
Today is different from the past, with great changes and vicissitudes.
Academician Ouyang Ziyuan, the first chief scientist of lunar science applications in China's lunar exploration project, will never forget that in May 1978, the United States gave China a 1-gram lunar rock sample. The country decided to use half for scientific research and the other half for public exhibition. At that time, my dream was to have a piece of moon soil that China had harvested on its own
On the early morning of December 17, 2020, in Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia, on a snowy plain with temperatures of minus 20-30 degrees Celsius, a white haired old man with tears in his eyes - he was Academician Luan Enjie, the first commander-in-chief of the lunar exploration project who proposed the three-step plan of "circling, falling, and returning".
I must personally take Chang'e-5 home, this is our promise to our motherland, "said Luan Enjie.
Exploring treasures in the Moon Palace is a romantic pursuit for the Chinese nation to integrate into its bloodline, and it is also a microcosm of the self-reliance and arduous struggle of the new China.
On April 24, 1970, China's first artificial Earth satellite, Dongfanghong-1, was successfully launched, marking the beginning of the Chinese nation's exploration of the mysteries of the universe, peaceful use of space, and benefiting humanity. General Secretary Xi Jinping once recalled with deep emotion, "I was a educated youth in Liangjiahe Village, Yanchuan County at that time. I was very excited when I heard the news of the successful launch
Looking back on the past and cherishing the present, full of pride.
When Chang'e-1 successfully entered lunar orbit, Academician Sun Jiadong and everyone in the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center hugged excitedly; During the successful soft landing of Chang'e-4 on the far side of the moon, Academician Ye Peijian and the executive director of the Chang'e-4 probe project, Zhang Zhi, held hands tightly; From experiencing failure to successfully launching Tianwen-1 and Chang'e-5, the Long March 5 carrier rocket, known as the "Fat Five," stood for a long time with Academician Li Dong, the chief designer of the Long March 5 series of carrier rockets, and his team members gazing at the sky
Adhering to the ideal belief of "definitely able, definitely able", generations of aerospace researchers have persevered, dedicated and sacrificed themselves!
After the successful completion of the Chang'e-3 mission, as a backup, Chang'e-4 will repeat the former and land on the front side of the moon again; Or brave the moon and venture into the 'no man's land' of scientific exploration?
After repeated argumentation, the final decision is that Chang'e-4 should be endowed with stronger vitality and more functions to explore the far side of the moon, which has never been reached by a human probe before!
After the successful completion of the Chang'e-5 mission, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the sixteen character spirit of lunar exploration in his congratulatory message, which includes "pursuing dreams, daring to explore, working together to overcome challenges, and achieving win-win cooperation".
Zhang Kejian, Director of the National Space Administration, said that the spirit of lunar exploration is not only the inheritance and continuation of the spirit of "two bombs and one satellite" and manned spaceflight, but also has distinct characteristics of the new era, and has become a powerful driving force for China's aerospace industry to continuously achieve new victories.
The Chinese Dream is historical, realistic, and future; it belongs to the country, the nation, and every Chinese person; it belongs to us, and even the younger generation. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will eventually become a reality through the relay struggle of the vast number of young people. "General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest teachings often echo in Sun Zezhou's ears.
From being appointed as the deputy chief designer of the Chang'e-1 satellite at the age of 34, to being appointed as the chief designer of the Chang'e-3 probe system at the age of 38, and now serving as the chief designer of the Mars exploration mission probe system, Sun Zezhou has always encouraged the young members of the team with this sentence: "Use the space dream to uphold the Chinese dream
Chen Wencheng, the technical leader of the post-90s generation who once undertook the final assembly task of the Chang'e-6 orbiter, and Gu Weide, a disciple of the post-95s generation, have included the "race against time schedule" in the "Chinese lunar exploration mission book"——
Launch Chang'e-7 around 2026 to conduct environmental and resource surveys at the South Pole of the Moon; Launch Chang'e-8 around 2028 to carry out in-situ utilization technology verification of lunar resources; Realize Chinese landing on the moon by 2030; Build the basic model of the International Lunar Research Station before 2035
The Chinese nation's relentless pursuit of the lunar exploration dream inspires the pioneers of the new era. On September 1st of this year, primary and secondary school students across the country were inspired by the scene of the five starred red flag woven from basalt unfolding on the far side of the moon in the same "first lesson of school".
"We should look up to the stars, be down-to-earth, and actively participate in the construction of Chinese path to modernization, and strive to be a new person of the times who takes on the important task of national rejuvenation," said Xiong Yufan, a student of the High School Affiliated to Tsinghua University.
The height of dreams determines the speed of progress.
For the unprecedented Chinese lunar exploration, as many stars and seas as there are, there are also many unyielding efforts.
For the Chinese people who are determined to revive, there is as much passion and strength as there are difficulties and challenges!
"I hope you will seize the momentum to carefully carry out scientific research on lunar samples, continue to implement major aerospace projects such as deep space exploration, strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, and forge ahead towards the goal of becoming a space power, make new contributions to exploring the mysteries of the universe, improving human welfare, and make new contributions to comprehensively promoting the construction of a power and national rejuvenation with Chinese path to modernization."
Dream calling, mission urging.
Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China's lunar exploration project is writing a more magnificent chapter of the times, and the dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will surely be engraved in the annals of human civilization progress!