China Launches Lunar Probe
BEIJING — Embarking on an ambitious 10-year moon exploration program, China launched its first lunar probe yesterday — a leap forward in the Asian space race that gave a boost to national pride and the promise of scientific and military payoffs.
Just a week ago, Japan put a probe into orbit around the moon, and India is likely to join the rivalry soon, with plans to send its own lunar probe into space in April.
The Long March 3A rocket left a trail of smoke yesterday as it soared into cloudy skies from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan.
Twenty-four minutes later, the Chang'e 1 satellite — named after a mythical Chinese goddess who flew to the moon — separated from the carrier rocket on a trajectory to reach lunar orbit in 13 days.
