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One step closer to the Moon (2) |
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11:09, August 11, 2007 |
Initiated in January 2004, the Moon exploration project is regarded as the third milestone in China''s space technology venture after successful satellite and manned spacecraft projects.
The Moon orbiter, Chang''e I, will provide 3D images of the Moon''s surface, probe the distribution of 14 usable elements on the Moon, study lunar microwaves and estimate the thickness of the Moon''s soil, earlier reports said.
This is only the first phase of China''s Moon probe program.
The entire program is divided into three phases - "circling the Moon", "landing on the Moon" and "back to Earth".
After the launch of the orbiter in the first phase, China will launch a Moon rover in the second phase, and launch another rover in the third phase, which will land on the Moon and return to earth with lunar soil and stone samples.
China has also set a goal of landing spacemen on the Moon within 15 years, Xinhua News Agency quoted a leading scientist as saying in March.
China carried out its maiden piloted space flight in October 2003, making the country the third in the world following the former Soviet Union and the United States to have put men into space. In October 2005, China sent its second manned spacecraft into space, with two astronauts on board.
China is one of the few countries that are capable of developing navigation satellite systems on its own.
Previous reports quoted by Xinhua News Agency said it will provide clients with positioning accuracy within 10 meters, velocity accuracy with 0.2 meter per second and timing accuracy within 50 nanoseconds.
Source:China Daily
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