14 November 2007
Chang'e 1 Spacecraft
Credit: NASA
On 24 October 2007, Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 1 was launched toward the Moon from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. On 5 November 2007, Chang'e 1 entered lunar orbit, beginning the first stage of the Chinese lunar exploration program.
The Chinese lunar orbiter is named after the Chinese goddess of the Moon Chang'e. Chang'e 1 is scheduled to study the Moon for a year. It will image the lunar surface, study its geology and probe the space weather of the Earth-Moon system.
Chang'e 1 was launched aboard a Long Marsh 3A rocket. A few weeks earlier, the Japanese Kaguya spacecraft successfully entered lunar orbit. India also has its plans for lunar exploration. Experts believe that the ultimate goal of the Chinese lunar program is sending astronauts to the Moon.
References
Xinhua: China's first lunar probe enters moon orbit
BBC: Chinese probe begins Moon orbit
Aymen Mohamed Ibrahem
Senior Astronomy Specialist