China's first moon orbiter launch

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China's first moon orbiter launch

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   China launched its first moon orbiter at 6:05 p.m. on Wednesday from the third launch pad of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwest Province of Sicuan. Xinhua News Agency celebrated the successful launch of lunar probe Chang'e One as "a milestone in the country's space exploration history".

  The circumlunar satellite will be expected to enter earth-moon transfer orbit on October 31 and arrive in the moon's orbit on November 5, and it will carry out scientific explorations of the moon for a year, according to Xinhua. Besides, the Long March 3A carrier rocket lift up the orbiter.

  Several thousand local residents living within a radius of 2.5 k.m.(1.6miles) around the center have been evacuated. About 2000 vistors from across the country, spending 800-100 yuan($100-$300) on the per ticket, watched the launching process. Experts from Japan, Germany and other countries were also invited . State media stressed that the exploration was for peaceful use.

  Chang'e , well known as "moon lady" or godness in Chinese myth, is said to fly to the moon with the jade rabbit. The project named after her showed China's great ambitons to for explorations of the space.

   In 2003, China became the third country to launch a man into space aborad its own rocket. In October 2005, it sent two into orbit, and it plans a space walk by 2008, according to Reuters.

  source (xinhua reuters)