Staff members make preparations for Chang'e-3's soft-landing on the moon at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 14, 2013. The mission of China's lunar probe Chang'e-3 has so far proceeded as planned. It will make an attempt to soft-land on the moon on Saturday night. (Xinhua/Li Xin)
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Special Report: China's lunar explorations
Graphics: Launch procedure of Chang'e-3 lunar probe
Lunar mission: craft to conduct re-entry tests before 2015
BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhuanet) -- An experimental spacecraft will be launched before 2015 to conduct crucial re-entry tests on the capsule to be used in the Chang'e-5 lunar-sample mission, a leading space program official said.
Chang'e-5 is expected to be China's first lunar explorer to return to Earth. The mission will be carried out before 2020.Full story
Chinese probe reaches record height in space travel
BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) -- China's space probe Chang'e-2 has flew to an outer space about 50 million km from the Earth, marking a new height in the nation's deep space exploration, Chinese scientists said on Sunday.
The probe, which is now "in good conditions", reached the height at around 1 a.m. Sunday Beijing Time, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence(SASTIND) said in a statement.Fullstory
Lunar probe, space exploration is China's duty to mankind
BEIJING, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- A chief designer with China's second lunar probe project has said that the country's lunar pursuit, while lagging behind Russia and the United States for more than 40 years, is still important because space exploration is part of the country's responsibility towards mankind.
"The most fundamental task for human beings' space exploration is to research on human origins and find a way for mankind to live and develop sustainably," said Qian Weiping, chief designer of the Chang'e-2 mission's tracking and control system.Full story
China calls for int'l cooperation in manned space program
BEIJING, June 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese astronaut research and training official Wednesday called for international cooperation to promote the development of manned space technologies.
China has long been pushing for international cooperation in manned space program under the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, as well as of transparency and opening, said Deng Yibing, director of China Astronaut Research and Training Center.Full story
