Chinese probe crashes into lunar surface
02 Mar 2009
A Chinese lunar probe has crashed into the moon in what authorities have described as a controlled collision. The Chang'e 1 lunar satellite, launched in late 2007, has crashed onto the surface after completing a 16-month moon-mapping mission.
The Chang'e was launched in late October 2007 with the purpose of mapping the entire surface of the moon, which it did with the help of stereo radar. It was remotely operated through two stations in Qingda, eastern China, and Kashgar in the north-west of the country, the Xinhua news agency said.
Meanwhile State media announced Sunday that the communist nation would launch a space module next year which would carry out the country's first space docking.
"The module, called Tiangong-1, will provide a "safe room" for Chinese astronauts to live and conduct scientific research in zero gravity," Chinese state media said.
"Weighing about 8.5 tonnes, Tiangong-1 is able to perform a long-term unattended operation, which will be an essential step toward building a space station," it added.
