Image of Moon crater from Yutu 2 mission - Credit: CNSA/CLEP

St. Louis Astronomical Society Meeting - China's Exploration of the Moon - The Chang'e Missions

An illustrated presentation by Professor Bradley Jolliff of Washington University in St. Louis

Brad Jolliff is the Scott Rudolph Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the Director of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences at Washington University.  His current focus is on science and exploration of the Moon.  He is a member of NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Cameras science team and he is involved in numerous science and exploration projects related to the Moon.


China has launched a very active program to explore the Moon.  Professor Jolliff will discuss the lunar exploration program of the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA). Their program has successfully completed five missions, Chang’e-1 through Chang’e-5. These have featured robotic lunar orbiters, landers, and rovers. Dr. Jolliff will explain what these missions have accomplished and what the plans are for continued exploration of the Moon, including plans for the first Chinese astronauts on the Moon. 


The St. Louis Astronomical Society is an organization for individuals interested in astronomy and telescopes. The public is invited to attend its meetings, telescope observing sessions, and special events. For more information about Astronomical Society events, please visit  www.slasonline.org or call 314- 962-9231.  The event, cosponsored by NASA's Missouri Space Grant Consortium at Washington University, is open to the public free of charge.


To get the link to the Zoom meeting if you are a non-member of SLAS, simply send a request to:  

CONTACTUS@SLASONLINE.ORG