China's lunar probe soft-lands on moon
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E-mail Xinhua, December 15, 2013
Yutu's tasks include surveying the moon's geological structure and surface substances and looking for natural resources. The lander will operate there for one year while the rover will be there for three months.
Chang'e-3 is part of the second phase of China's lunar program, which includes orbiting, landing and returning to the Earth. It follows the success of the Chang'e-1 and Chang'e-2 missions in 2007 and 2010.
The successful landing shows China has the ability of in-situ exploration on an extraterrestrial body, said Sun Huixian, deputy engineer-in-chief in charge of the second phase of China's lunar program.
A renewed moon fever has sprung up in recent years following the lunar probe climax in the 1960s and 1970s.
Chang'e-3 is the world's first soft-landing of a probe on the moon in nearly four decades. The last such soft-landing was carried out by the Soviet Union in 1976.
"Compared to the last century's space race between the United States and the former Soviet Union, mankind's current return to the moon is more based on curiosity and exploration of the unknown universe," Sun said.
"China's lunar program is an important component of mankind's activities to explore peaceful use of space," according to the engineer-in-chief.
For an ancient civilization like China, landing on the moon embodies another meaning. The moon, a main source for inspiration, is one of the most important themes in Chinese literature and ancient Chinese myths, including that about Chang'e, a lady who took her pet "Yutu" to fly toward the moon, where she became a goddess.
"Though people have discovered that the moon is bleached and desolate, it doesn't change its splendid role in Chinese traditional culture," said Zhang Yiwu, a professor with Peking University.
"Apart from scientific exploration, the lunar probe is a response to China's traditional culture and imagination. China's lunar program will proceed with the beautiful legends," Zhang said.
"I am so excited about the news. It carries my space dream," a netizen "Roger-Kris" posted on the Sina Weibo. "I am now so interested in space and I want to study science when I go to college."
"I am looking forward to seeing more pictures sent back by Chang'e-3," he said.
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