Lunar surface communication system design and verification of the Chang’E-3 probe
ZhiChun CHEN, Han Yu, Ting Zhang, Shi Liu, Huiping Qiang, XiaoFeng HUANG, X. Y. Li, Zezhou Sun · Scientia Sinica Technologica · 2014
The Chang'E-3 is the first Chinese soft landing lunar probe, including a lander and a rover. After landing on the certain area of lunar surface, lander started in-situ exploration, rover began lunar surface reconnaissance. Data of rover exploration can be transmitted via direct-to-earth link or relay link of lander. UHF lunar surface communication system is designed for transmitting data from rover to lander. The system achieved the on-orbit verifications goal of lunar surface transmission successfully. The paper describes the design of the Chang'E-3 probe lunar surface communication system, transmisson loss analysis, tests on the ground, and the on-orbit verifications.