China
China gears up for 1st moon mission
WATCH VIDEO
Source: CCTV.com | 10-23-2007 08:16
Special Report: Chang'e I -Journey to the Moon |
China has announced the time frame for launching Chang'e One, a lunar orbiter designed to set the stage for the nation's future moon missions. Lift-off is scheduled for later this week at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan.
The spokesman for China's National Space Administration says they're shooting for a launch window on Wednesday, at around 6 pm local time.
Li Guoping, spokesman of China National Space Admin.,said, "The scientific objectives of Chang'e One are to photograph and map the lunar surface, probe the lunar soil depth, study the chemical composition, and analyze the space environment around the moon."
Chang'e is expected to enter the Earth to Moon orbit about a week after its launch. And five days after that, it should enter the lunar orbit. Chang'e One will relay the first pictures in late November and continue exploration for a year.
The overall mission cost is 1.4 billion yuan, or about 180 million US dollars. The spokesman stressed that the Chang'e project is for scientific exploration and will be involved in international efforts for common prosperity.
China is about to join the lunar club that includes the US, Russia, Japan, Germany and the European Space Agency.
Compared with the United States and Russia, China's lunar projects are starting about half a century later. But Chang'e One is aiming high, with a number of new scientific targets. China hopes to get first hand data from the moon for its future projects.
Editor:Zhang Ning
