CHINA / National |
Chang'e I sets moon trip in September(Shanghai Daily)Updated: 2007-03-15 14:01 The launch of China's first lunar exploration satellite will be postponed to the latter half of this year as it's waiting for a perfect time to launch. The launch of Chang'e I has been rescheduled in south China's Hainan Province to around September, nearly six months later than originally planned, Beijing Times reported today. "We are waiting for a time when the earth, moon and sun are in a certain position, which will most benefit the launch," said Zhang Yunchuan, a director with the country's Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense. Assembly of the orbiter has been completed, while its carrier rocket, a Long March 3-A, is currently under testing, Luan Enjie, chief commander of the country's lunar exploration program, said in a previous report. Chang'e I will provide 3D images of the moon's surface, probe the distribution of 14 usable elements on the moon, study lunar microwaves and estimate the thickness of the moon's soil. The orbiter will be featured in the first phase of the lunar exploration program, followed by a remote-controlled lunar rover. In the third phase, a module will drill out a chunk of the moon and bring it back to earth. Chang'e is the name of a fairy in traditional Chinese stories. According to the tales, she lived on the moon for thousands of years with a white rabbit as her only company, as a punishment for acting selfishly to her husband. |
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