China to launch Chang'e-3 lunar probe in early Dec.

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- China is scheduled to launch Chang'e-3 lunar probe in early December, a spokesman with State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND) said Tuesday.

The lunar probe will land on the moon in mid-December if everything is successful, said SASTIND spokesman Wu Zhijian.

Chang'e-3, encompassing a lander and a moon rover, will mark the first time for a Chinese spacecraft to soft-land on the surface of an extraterrestrial body.

The Chang'e-3 mission is the second phase of China's lunar program, which includes orbiting, landing and returning to Earth.

“嫦娥三号”12月上旬发射

新华网北京11月26日电(记者 底东娜) 26日上午9时，国家国防科技工业局召开探月工程二期“嫦娥三号”任务新闻发布会，介绍“嫦娥三号”任务相关情况。国防科工局新闻发言人吴志坚介绍，如果气象等条件具备，肩负“落月”重任的“嫦娥三号”,将于今年12月上旬择机发射。

探月工程副总指挥李本正在今天的发布会上宣布，我国首辆月球车——“嫦娥三号”巡视器全球征名活动结束，月球车命名为“玉兔号”。