Asian Scientist (Dec. 4, 2013) – China has launched its Chang’e-3 lunar probe mission which will land on the moon and deploy China’s first moon rover called “Yutu” (Jade Rabbit).
The Long March-3B rocket carrying the Chang’e-3 lunar probe was launched from the Xichang satellite launch centre in Sichuan province at 1.30 am on Monday.
Following the successes of the Chang’e-1 and Chang’e-2 missions in 2007 and 2010, the Chang’e-3 mission is the second phase of China’s lunar program. The lunar probe will land on the moon in mid December if everything goes according to plan.
Once the spacecraft soft-lands on the moon, the moon rover Yutu will be deployed and will start carrying out tasks such as surveying the moon’s surface and exploring for natural resources. Yutu, which weights 140 kg and can travel at a top speed of 200 meters an hour, will operate in Sinus Iridum, or the Bay of Rainbows, for three months.
Successful completion of the mission will make Chang’e-3 the first Chinese spacecraft to soft-land on the surface of an extraterrestrial body. The ability to explore the surface of an extraterrestrial body will also greatly enhance China’s space exploration capabilities.
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Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine; Photo: bobfamiliar/Flickr/CC.
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