China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe has successfully entered its circumlunar orbit, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Wednesday.
At 10:12 (Beijing Time) Wednesday, Chang'e-6 successfully performed a near-moon braking procedure before entering the circumlunar orbit, according to the CNSA.
The near-moon braking procedure is a key orbital control for Chang'e-6 during its flight. The braking makes its relative speed lower than the lunar escape velocity, so that it can be captured by the moon's gravity and fly around the moon.
"At present, the operation of the probe is still very much in line with our expectations. The first near-moon braking procedure presents a unique control opportunity. If we miss it, the probe can't enter the orbit of the moon. Only by completing it smoothly, can the following procedures such as orbiting, landing, sampling, and take-off be carried out. After the first near-moon braking procedure, we move into the third stage of our task," said Cheng Yanhe, a member of the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC).
Supported by Queqiao-2 relay satellite, Chang'e-6 will later adjust the altitude and inclination of the orbit around the moon, and choose a proper time to carry out the separation of the orbiter-returner combination and the lander-ascender combination.
Then the lander-ascender combination will conduct a soft landing on the South Pole-Aitken Basin to carry out the sampling and return mission on the far side of the moon as planned.
"At present, the reaction control of Chang'e-6 probe is stable, the orbit control accuracy is very high and the working condition is very good. We will continue to adjust the altitude and inclination of the orbit. It will carry out separation at the proper time and conduct a soft landing on the far side of the moon. Then, it will carry out scientific exploration and collect samples from the lunar surface. Following this, it will take off, execute a series of maneuvers, complete rendezvous and dock in the lunar orbit before finally returning to Earth," said Peng Deyun, another BACC member.
Chang'e-6 enters lunar orbit after near-moon braking
Chang'e-6 enters lunar orbit after near-moon braking
The bustling Xiushui Business Street (Silk Street) in Beijing is experiencing a significant surge in visits paid by international tourists, thanks to the country's implementation of visa-free policy.
The business street, known for its array of shops selling a wide range of souvenirs and gifts and a vibrant shopping atmosphere, is among the top destinations for visitors from abroad.
Since earlier this year, China has implemented a visa-free policy that exempts many European ordinary passport holders from the time-consuming and costly obligation, encouraging travelers from nearly a dozen European countries to explore this Asian country. It allows ordinary passport holders of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg, to enter and stay in China visa-free for up to 15 days for business, tourism, transit, as well as visiting relatives and friends .
Against such a backdrop, the business street, with a spike in international tourist arrivals, has offered popular options with distinctive Beijing features to foreign visitors.
"From January to April this year, the combined number of overseas tourists we received was expected to increase by nearly 20 times from the previous year. We've selected a batch of souvenirs that can represent Beijing for our customers, so as to make each and every of them happy," said Dong Qing, an employee of the business street.
Ibeku hailing from Nigeria was on a business trip to Beijing. She came to the business street to tailor a suit of Nigerian traditional costume with Chinese silk.
"First of all, I love fashion. So if we have Chinese silk [and] Nigerian style [together], that's like a mix of cultures, and that's what we are all hoping to get this day," she said.
Taking into account the tight schedule of foreign customers, many merchants reduce the time it takes to craft bespoke garments from the traditional four to five days down to an impressive 18 hours.
Furthermore, they also provide global mailing services for international customers who express concern about limited luggage space or tight travel schedules.
According to data released by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the capital city received 469,000 inbound tourist arrivals in the first quarter of this year, up by 3.1 times year on year, and the foreign exchange income of tourism is 650 million U.S. dollars, a year-on-year growth of 225.8 percent.
Xiushui Business Street thrives with influx of foreign tourists under visa-free policy
