Photo taken on Dec. 2, 2013 shows the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China. China successfully launched its third lunar probe, Chang'e-3, early Monday. It is expected to soft-land on the moon in mid-December. (Xinhua/Yang Zhiyuan)
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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
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