Chang'e 3 lunar landing mission launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Dec. 2, 2013 local time (Dec. 1 EST)

Excuse the delay in mentioning the launch of China's Moon Lander mission.(visited relatives for Thanksgiving). 

I hope you have already seen the news so will just post a few links for historical reference.

- LRK -

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http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/12/china-change3-rover-to-the-moon/

Chang’e-3: Chinese lunar rover heading to the Moon

December 1, 2013 by Rui C. Barbosa

The Chinese have begun their most ambitious lunar mission to date, following the successful launch their Long March 3B rocket carrying the Chang’e-3 probe and Yutu lunar rover. Launch was on schedule at 17:30 UTC on Sunday, taking place from the LC2 Launch Complex at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. 

Chinese Moon Mission:

The Chang’e-3 mission is the second phase of China’s lunar program, a program that includes orbiting, landing and sample return ambitions. It is aiming to follow the successes of the Chang’e-1 and Chang’e-2 missions in 2007 and 2010.

The Chang’e-3 mission couples a lander and the rover, advancing China’s exploration ambitions exponentially.

With a launch mass of 3,780 kg, the lander is equipped with a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) to power the lunar operations during the three-month mission.

The energy will be used to power the scientific payload of seven instruments and cameras. The main instrument is the Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope. This will be used to observe galaxies and other celestial objects

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SpaceRef post back on December 1, 2013.

- LRK -

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http://spaceref.com/asia/chinas-change-3-heads-for-the-moon.html

China's Chang'e-3 Heads For The Moon

Posted by Keith Cowing - Source: SpaceRef
Posted December 1, 2013 1:15 PM

China's Chang'e-3 lunar rover Yutu ("Jade rabbit") left Earth today aboard a Long March IIIB rocket today. Liftoff occurred at 12:30 pm EST from Xichang launch facility in in China's Sichuan province.

Chang'e-3 will take approximately four days to reach the Moon and will enter orbit on or around 6 December. A week or so later Change'e-3's large landing stage will deliver the Yutu rover to a landing site in Sinus Iridum. The current expected landing date is 14 December.

The Yutu rover will operate on the lunar surface for several months while the landing stage will operate for up to a year.

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Some photos at SpaceRef.

- LRK -

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http://www.space.com/23789-china-launch-photos-moon-rover-change3.html
Launch Photos: China's Chang'e 3 Moon Rover Mission Blasts Off

by Tariq Malik, Managing Editor   |   December 01, 2013 01:04pm ET

China's Chang'e 3 Moon Mission Launches

Credit: CCTV

China's first-ever moon landing mission, called Chang'e 3, will include the first Chinese rover ever to set down on an extraterrestrial landscape. See images from the Chang'e 3/Yutu rover mission's launch here.

Here, a Chinese Long March 3B rocket launches China's first moon rover Yutu (Jade Rabbit) on the Chang'e 3 lunar landing mission from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Dec. 2, 2013 local time (Dec. 1 EST) in this still image from a CCTV broadcast. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

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It will be most interesting to see the reactions from around the world. 

Thanks for looking up with me.  
- LRK -

 

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

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