Special report: China launches its first moon orbitor

Chinese President pledges peaceful use of outer space

Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses a grand ceremony celebrating the success of the first stage of China's lunar probe project, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2007. China on Wednesday held the grand ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to celebrate the success of the first-phase lunar probe project. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said on Wednesday that China would adhere to the principle of peaceful development and use of outer space in concerted efforts with other nations.

    Hu made the remarks at a grand ceremony held Wednesday morning at the Great Hall of the People to celebrate the first-phase lunar probe project's success.

President Hu: China joins nations with capability of deep space exploration

    BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said the success of the first stage of China's lunar probe program indicated the nation had joined countries with capability of deep space exploration.

    Hu made the remarks at a grand ceremony held Wednesday morning at the Great Hall of the People to celebrate the first-phase lunar probe project's success.

Grand ceremony celebrates success of China's lunar probe program

    BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Beijing held a grand ceremony at the Great Hall of the People Wednesday morning to celebrate the success of the first stage of China's lunar probe program.

    President Hu Jintao is to deliver a speech at the assembly.

    Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, presided over the meeting.

This undated photo shows a ray crater on the moon issued by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Dec. 11, 2007. The charge-coupled device (CCD) camera on Chang'e-1, China's first lunar orbiter, has started imaging probes on the dark side of the moon and captured photos of parts of this region, CNSA announced Tuesday.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Chang'e-1 photographs dark side of the moon

    BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The charge-coupled device (CCD) camera on Chang'e-1, China's first lunar orbiter, has started imaging probes on the dark side of the moon and captured photos of parts of this region, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced Tuesday.

This file photo released by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Nov. 26, 2007 shows China's first picture of the moon captured by Chang'e-1, China's first lunar orbiter, marking the full success of its lunar probe project. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

China publishes first moon picture

    BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- China published the first picture of the moon captured by Chang'e-1 on Monday morning, marking the success of the country's first lunar probe project.

Chang'e-1 completes long journey to moon successfully

    BEIJING, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's first lunar probe, Chang'e-1, completed its nearly two-million-km journey to the moon successfully on Wednesday morning and entered its working orbit.

The circumlunar satellite Chang'e-1 blasted off on a Long March3A carrier rocket at 6:05 p.m., Oct.24 from the No. 3 launching tower in the Xichang Satellite Launch Center of southwestern Sichuan Province.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

China's first lunar probe Chang'e-1 blasts off

    XICHANG, Sichuan, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- China launched its first lunar probe on Wednesday, the first step into its ambitious three-stage moon mission, marking a new milestone in the country's space exploration history.