Fifth institute of CASC helps Chang'e 4 mission succeed

Lander subsystem created by Fifth Research Institute of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation(CASC) located in Binhai, Tianjin helped Chang'e 4 achieve "complete success" in its mission to conduct mankind's first surface observation of the moon's uncharted side.

The staff at Fifth Research Institute of CASC participated in the ground test, ground protection and transportation process of Chang'e 4. The approximate 20 sets of products made by the institutes serve as structural, control and mechanical components of the probe.

The unlocking and transferring of the rover from the lander to the lunar surface for exploration were two important steps after the soft landing of Chang'e 4. "Our job is to make sure of the successful release and "take off" of rover from the lander in conducting further exploration," a worker with the institute said.

Transfer of the rover to the surface of the moon is complicated due to its large body and delicate structure composed of various functional parts.

The institute has also conducted various ground tests in order to ensure the reliability of the Chang'e 4 detector on the moon. Developed by the institute, more than 30 sets of ground test equipment represented by the whole high bracket car, the whole spreader, the landing device test fixture, the analog tower, etc., with positioning, transshipment and support functions play crucial roles in various ground tests.

Its personnel serve at the base to maintain and ensure the healthy status of the ground equipment, facilitating the complete process of assembling and testing of the probe.

After assembling and testing at the Xichang Satellite Launch Site technical area, the satellite sealed container developed by the institute helped the smooth transportation of the probe to the launch tower. The container has functions such as passive insulation, humidity control, pressure control, temperature and humidity pressure data monitoring, shock vibration recording, etc, which ensured the detector transportation and hoist from the technical area to the launch tower in a vertical state.