On Monday, December 2, China launched its moon rover Yutu (Jade Rabbit), which is expected to land on the moon's surface in mid-December.
China's lunar probe, which was on a Long March-3B carrier rocket, launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China at 1:30 a.m. (local time) on December 2.
China National Space Administration's lunar exploration mission, Chang'e-3, incorporates a lander and a rover. The mission is a part of the second phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program.
This is the first time that China has sent a spacecraft to soft land on the surface of an extra-terrestrial body. So far only the U.S. and the Soviet Union have soft-landed on the moon. Moreover, the Chang'e-3 mission is the first moon landing mission of the 21st century.
The lunar probe is named after Chang'e, the goddess of the Moon in Chinese mythology. The mission is a follow-up to the Chang'e-1 and Chang'e-2 lunar orbiters, which were launched in 2007 and 2010. The probe is also called the Yutu, which was selected by an online poll, and comes from a Chinese myth relating to a white rabbit that lives on the moon.
"Yutu is a symbol of kindness, purity and agility, and is identical to the moon rover in both outlook and connotation. Yutu also reflects China's peaceful use of space," said Li Benzheng, deputy commander-in-chief of China's lunar program in November this year.
Just after the Chang'e-3 spacecraft detached from the rocket, authorities announced that the lift-off was a success. If everything goes according to the plan, then the probe will land on the surface of the moon on December 14. The probe will then become the first spacecraft to land on the moon in 37 years. The last soft landing on the moon was done in 1976 by the Soviet Union.
The key objectives of the Jade Rabbit include orbiting the moon and successfully landing on the surface. The Jade Rabbit is also expected to survey the moon's geological structure and surface substances, and at the same time look for natural resources before returning to the Earth in 2020.
