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| Editor's notes: As China successfully launched Chang'e-3 lunar probe on Monday, China's lunar exploration program have made a "triple jump" between 2007 and 2013. |
Chang'e-3 News:
Chang'e-3 trims its orbit
BEIJING, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chang'e-3, China's first planned soft moon landing, finished the first orbital trimming at 3:50 p.m. in its trajectory along the earth-moon transfer orbit, the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) said. Full story
China announces launch of Chang'e-3 lunar probe "successful"
XICHANG, Sichuan, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- The launch of China's lunar probe Chang'e-3 was "successful," the Xichang Satellite Launch Center announced Monday.
Zhang Zhenzhong, director of the center, made the announcement after the lunar probe entered the earth-moon transfer orbit and unfolded its solar panels. Full story
China's lunar probe enters earth-moon transfer orbit
XICHANG, Sichuan, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's lunar probe Chang'e-3 has entered the earth-moon transfer orbit after it separated from the carrier rocket, space authorities announced Monday.
Chang'e-3 arrived at the orbit with a perigee of 200 kilometers and an apogee of 380,000 kilometers as scheduled. Full story
China launches probe and rover to moon
XICHANG, Sichuan, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- China launched the Chang'e-3 lunar probe with its first moon rover aboard early on Monday.
The lunar probe, aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket, blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China at 1:30 a.m. Monday. Full story
In Pictures:
Chang'e Missions:
Chang'e-1
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Chang'e-1 impacts moon
BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Chang'e-1, China's first lunar probe, impacted the moon at 4:13 p.m. Beijing Time (0813 GMT) Sunday, said sources with the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.
The satellite ended its 16-month mission Sunday when it hit the lunar surface at 1.50 degrees south latitude and 52.36 degrees east longitude. Full story |
Chang'e-2
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Chang'e-2 heads for moon
BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's second unmanned lunar probe, Chang'e-2, was maneuvered to correct its trajectory on the earth-moon transfer orbit Saturday.
Scientists successfully activated the attitude control engines on Chang'e-2 and trimmed the satellite for the first time on its journey, according to a flight control official. Full story |
Chang'e-3
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China launches probe and rover to moon
XICHANG, Sichuan, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- China launched the Chang'e-3 lunar probe with its first moon rover aboard early on Monday.
The lunar probe, aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket, blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China at 1:30 a.m. Monday. Full story |
Timeline of China's lunar program:
1998 - China begins planning the lunar mission, tackling major scientific and technological problems;
2004 January - Lunar orbiter project is formally established;
2007 Oct. 24 - Chang'e-1 is successfully launched;
2007 Nov. 7 - Chang'e-1 enters lunar orbit;
2008 October - The State Council, China's Cabinet, approves the Chang'e-2 mission;
2009 March 1 - Chang'e-1 impacts the moon under control;
2010 Oct. 1 - Chang'e-2 is sent into space aboard a Long March-3C carrier rocket ;
2010 Oct. 9 - Chang'e-2 enters 100-km circular lunar orbit;
2010 Oct. 26 - Chang'e-2 enters lower, elliptical orbit; prepares to photograph Sinus Iridium;
2011 April to the end of May - Chang'e-2 takes pictures of the chosen landing site for Chang'e-3;
2011 Aug. 25 - For the first time in history, from lunar orbit a space craft enters the second Lagrange Point (L2) orbit;
2011 Dec. 13 - Chang'e-2 arrives in deep space 7 million km away from Earth, and surveys the Tout asteroid;
Present - Chang'e-2 is 60 million km away from Earth and has become China's first man-made asteroid in the solar system. It continues flying into deeper space.
Backgrounder:
The Moon in Chinese poetry
China's "triple jump" progress in lunar probes
Shenzhou- 10's docking mission with Tiangong-1
China launches Tiangong-1
China's Third Manned Space Mission
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