China to Launch Lunar Satellite in September

The Chinese space program plans on launching a lunar satellite later this year

The ambitious Chinese space program plans to launch the Chang'e 1 orbiter in September -- the first of three steps towards having moon samples brought back to Earth. Assuming the Chang'e 1 is able to successfully orbit the moon, it will then be sent on a mission to land on one of several designated zones of the lunar surface. Officials hope Chang'e will send 3D images of the moon's surface back to Earth, along with studying lunar microwaves and estimating the thickness of soil on the moon's surface.Phase one of the mission is to launch the probe to orbit the moon, which will take place later this year; phase two is to land on the lunar surface to take samples of the lunar surface; in phase three, another orbiter will land and take lunar and soil samples before heading back to Earth.The moon rover mission would be launched in 2012, assuming everything else goes according to plan."The moon probe project is the third milestone in China's space technology after satellite and manned spacecraft projects, and a first step for us in exploring deep space," said Sun Laiyan, Chinese space agency chief.China first announced plans for the lunar orbiter last year. The space program is still interested in manned space missions, including a possible space walk in the future.In 2003, China became the third country, behind the United States and former Soviet Union, to successfully put a human in space on the nation's own rocket. The country plans on conducting a space walk by 2008. China's developing space capability grabbed headlines in January after the country destroyed an ageing satellite by hitting it with a missile which was launched from Earth.

Reference:Michael Hoffman,dailytech