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| China Lands Probe on the Moon, Report Says | China Lands Probe on the Moon, Report Says |
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| China became the third country to land a spacecraft on the moon on Saturday, after its unmanned Chang’e-3 probe settled onto the Bay of Rainbows, state television reported. | China became the third country to land a spacecraft on the moon on Saturday, after its unmanned Chang’e-3 probe settled onto the Bay of Rainbows, state television reported. |
| The probe arrived after a 13-day journey from Earth, Chinese state television reported, but no footage from the landing craft was shown. | |
| The Chang’e-3 landing craft carried a solar-powered, robotic rover called the Jade Rabbit, or Yutu in Mandarin Chinese, which was to emerge several hours later to begin exploring the Bay of Rainbows, or Sinus Iridum, a relatively smooth plain formed from solidified lava. In Chinese legend, Chang’e is a moon goddess, accompanied by a Jade Rabbit that can brew potions that give immortality. | The Chang’e-3 landing craft carried a solar-powered, robotic rover called the Jade Rabbit, or Yutu in Mandarin Chinese, which was to emerge several hours later to begin exploring the Bay of Rainbows, or Sinus Iridum, a relatively smooth plain formed from solidified lava. In Chinese legend, Chang’e is a moon goddess, accompanied by a Jade Rabbit that can brew potions that give immortality. |
| The United States and Soviet Union are the only other countries to have accomplished such a lunar mission — called a “soft landing,” which allows a craft to operate after descending — and 37 years have passed since the last such visit. | The United States and Soviet Union are the only other countries to have accomplished such a lunar mission — called a “soft landing,” which allows a craft to operate after descending — and 37 years have passed since the last such visit. |
| At the time of the last soft landing, by the Soviet Union in 1976, Mao Zedong was a month from death and China was in the twilight of his chaotic Cultural Revolution. Now China, much richer and stronger, aspires to become a globally respected power, and the government sees a major presence in space as a key to acquiring technological prowess, military strength and status. | At the time of the last soft landing, by the Soviet Union in 1976, Mao Zedong was a month from death and China was in the twilight of his chaotic Cultural Revolution. Now China, much richer and stronger, aspires to become a globally respected power, and the government sees a major presence in space as a key to acquiring technological prowess, military strength and status. |
| But the mission also embodies China’s broader ambitions in space, experts said. The Chang’e-3 mission is to hone technology for future missions, while also doing exploration. The landing craft appears capable of carrying a payload more than a dozen times the weight of the 309 pound rover, Paul D. Spudis, a scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, said in an email. | But the mission also embodies China’s broader ambitions in space, experts said. The Chang’e-3 mission is to hone technology for future missions, while also doing exploration. The landing craft appears capable of carrying a payload more than a dozen times the weight of the 309 pound rover, Paul D. Spudis, a scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, said in an email. |
| “Although it will do some new science, its real value is to flight-qualify a new and potentially powerful lunar surface payload delivery system,” Mr. Spudis said. | “Although it will do some new science, its real value is to flight-qualify a new and potentially powerful lunar surface payload delivery system,” Mr. Spudis said. |
| A later Chang’e mission before 2020 is intended to bring back rocks and other samples from the moon, and that will need a much larger craft capable of sending a vehicle back to Earth. That mission will also need a more powerful launch rocket, which China is developing. | A later Chang’e mission before 2020 is intended to bring back rocks and other samples from the moon, and that will need a much larger craft capable of sending a vehicle back to Earth. That mission will also need a more powerful launch rocket, which China is developing. |
| Some Chinese space engineers have also enthusiastically endorsed eventually taking astronauts to the moon and back, which would make China the second country, after the United States, to achieve that feat. China sent its first astronaut into space in 2003, and has since carried out four more manned missions. | Some Chinese space engineers have also enthusiastically endorsed eventually taking astronauts to the moon and back, which would make China the second country, after the United States, to achieve that feat. China sent its first astronaut into space in 2003, and has since carried out four more manned missions. |
| A policy paper in 2011 said China would “conduct studies on the preliminary plan for a human lunar landing,” but the government has not made any decision on a manned mission, said Joan Johnson-Freese, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College on Rhode Island who researches the country’s space activities. | A policy paper in 2011 said China would “conduct studies on the preliminary plan for a human lunar landing,” but the government has not made any decision on a manned mission, said Joan Johnson-Freese, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College on Rhode Island who researches the country’s space activities. |
| “Certainly, they are putting all the building blocks in place, so that if they make that policy decision, they can move forward,” Professor Johnson-Freese said. “But the Chinese are not risk-takers. They are not going to approve that program until they are sure they are capable of all those building blocks.” | “Certainly, they are putting all the building blocks in place, so that if they make that policy decision, they can move forward,” Professor Johnson-Freese said. “But the Chinese are not risk-takers. They are not going to approve that program until they are sure they are capable of all those building blocks.” |