BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Preparations are underway for the upcoming launch of the Chang'e 3, a probe that will land on the moon's surface. The probe has arrived at Xichang city in Southwest China's Sichuan province ahead of its launch later this year.
The Chang’e 3 will be China’s first spacecraft to make a soft landing on the moon. The rover comes equipped with a telescope which will be able to make observations of space from the moon, and cameras to take photos of the lunar surface as well.
A radar has been installed under the lunar rover to detect the mineral components of the moon. The Chang’e 3 will also be China’s first spacecraft to be powered by a domestically developed nuclear battery.
It’s scheduled to launch at the end of this year, as the second phase of China’s ongoing Lunar Exploration Program.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
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