China shows its first moon photos
China displayed the first image of the moon captured by its Chang’e 1 lunar probe this week, marking the formal start of the satellite’s mission to document the lunar landscape.
Unveiling the image at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center, Premier Wen Jiabao hailed it as a major step in “the Chinese race’s 1,000-year-old dream” of exploring the moon.
China hopes the probe, launched in late October, will have surveyed the entire surface of the moon at least once by early next year.
The probe’s launch closely followed the start of a similar mission by Japan, prompting speculation over a space race in Asia.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
