Special report: China launches first lunar orbiter 
    BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- China is studying the feasibility of using the Long March 3B carrier rocket for the country's second-stage moon mission of lunar landing, a spokesman for the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said here Monday.

    The Long March 3B carrier rocket, in the same family as the Long March 3A on which China's first lunar probe Chang'e-1 was launched, boasts of "strong thrust power", Pei Zhaoyu, the spokesman, told a press conference here.

    "We had considered using Long March 5 rockets for lunar landing. But to use a more matured and reliable rocket, we are also considering other options, including other models within the Long March 3 families," said Pei.

    Long March 3B is the most powerful carrier rocket developed by China. It can send 5.1 tons of pay load into the geosynchronous orbit.

    The 3B rockets have successfully launched a couple of large satellites, including Mabuhay, ChinaStar-1 and SinoSat-1.

    Pei said the Long March 5 rockets, which use pollution-free fuels, shall not be ready for launch services until after 2012.

    Earlier reports said Long March 5 rockets shall be able to send14 tons of payload into the geosynchronous orbit.

    Chang'e-1, named after a mythical Chinese goddess who flew to the moon, blasted off on a Long March 3A carrier rocket at 6:05 p.m. on Oct. 24 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

    The launch of the orbiter marks the first step of China's three-stage moon mission, which will lead to a moon landing and launch of a moon rover at around 2012.

    In the third phase, another rover will land on the moon and return to earth with lunar soil and stone samples for scientific research at around 2017.