China’s first lunar probe, Chang’e-1, impacted with the moon yesterday – effectively concluding the satellite’s 16 month mission. This occasion marks a significant step forward in China’s mission to join countries like the U.S. and Russia as a leader in space technology.
Launched on Oct. 24, 2007, Chang’e-1 successfully sent a complete map of the moon back to China one month later. The lunar probe also conducted various other tests before it crashed into the moon’s surface at 1.50 degrees south latitude and 52.36 degrees east longitude.
The Chang’e-1 satellite was the primary step in China’s three phase lunar mission which will result in the launching and landing of an unmanned rover vehicle on the moon’s surface by 2012.