China's 2nd lunar probe completes 2nd braking
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China's second unmanned lunar probe, Chang'e-2, has successfully completed its second braking at perilune on Friday, which decelerated the satellite and allowed it to enter a 3.5-hour orbit, according to the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC).
Chang'e-2, following instructions from the center, started the second braking at 10:45 a.m. and entered the 3.5-hour elliptical moon orbit 17 minutes later, said Ma Yongping, vice-director of the BACC.
The second braking was to decelerate the satellite to prepare it for the final braking and its entering the designed 118-minute working orbit, Ma said.
The satellite completed its first braking on Wednesday and will make its third braking on Saturday.
Long-March-3C carrier rocket took Chang'e-2 into space blasting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Oct. 1.
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