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| China's lunar mission on track for lift－off |
| CCTV.COM 2003-08-04 08:08:47 |
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China's plans to send a manned flight to the moon are on track. Since the launch of the project in March this year, progress has been going smoothly. Phase one of the ambitious program is well underway.
Human beings first set foot on the moon over 30 years ago. But the Chinese are not dragging their feet in following in Neil Armstrong's footsteps. China's lunar program is called Chang'e, after a Chinese legend in which a fairy flies up to the moon.
The program has three stages －－ orbiting the moon, landing a probe on the surface, and returning with lunar soil and rock samples.
After painstaking feasibility studies, scientists have determined the optimum path for phase one, a satellite that will orbit the moon. All systems are go for the probe.
"So far, we have achieved breakthroughs in our launch test and control systems. We feel confident we will have the lunar probe ready on schedule," said Ye Peijian, chief scientist of lunar exploration program.
Phase one of China's lunar program was launched in March this year. It is expected to continue for two to three years. During this time, China will launch a satellite that will orbit and map the moon's surface.
During stage two, China will launch a lunar rover. The plan is to make a soft landing, and explore the moon's surface, transmitting data back to earth.
In stage three, a small module and moon robot will be launched to collect the samples and bring them back. Research on the samples is expected to provide data for a manned moon－landing and the location of China's lunar base.
The project is being carried out under the umbrella of the China National Space Administration. The research team says it is confident of the success of the mission.
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Editor: Han Ling CCTV.com
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