Editor's note:
Space exploration is an ever-risky undertaking. The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program has three stages: Orbiting, landing and return, all to be fulfilled by late 2020.
Chang'e 1, China's first unmanned lunar-orbiting spacecraft, is launched on Oct. 24, 2007, at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Chang'e 1 accomplishes five goals: Researching, developing and launching China's first lunar probe; mastering the basic technology of placing satellites in lunar orbit; conducting China's first scientific exploration of the Moon; initially forming a lunar probe space engineering system; And accumulating experience for the later phases of China's lunar exploration program. [file photo] |