China on Saturday successfully carried out the world's first soft landing of a space probe on the moon in nearly four decades, the next stage in an ambitious space program that aims to eventually put a Chinese astronaut on the moon.

The unmanned Chang'e 3 lander, named after a mythical Chinese goddess of the moon, touched down on Earth's nearest neighbor following a 12-minute landing process.

The probe carried a six-wheeled moon rover called "Yutu," or "Jade Rabbit," the goddess' pet. After landing Saturday evening on a fairly flat, Earth-facing part of the moon, the rover was slated to separate from the Chang'e eight hours later and embark on a three-month scientific exploration.

China's space program is an enormous source of pride for the country, the third to carry out a lunar soft landing — which does not damage the craft and the equipment it carries — after the United States and the former Soviet Union. The last one was by the Soviet Union in 1976.

"It's still a significant technological challenge to land on another world," said Peter Bond, consultant editor for Jane's Space Systems and Industry. "Especially somewhere like the moon, which doesn't have an atmosphere so you can't use parachutes or anything like that. You have to use rocket motors for the descent and you have to make sure you go down at the right angle and the right rate of descent and you don't end up in a crater on top of a large rock."

State-run China Central Television showed a computer-generated image of the Chang'e 3 lander's path as it approached the surface of the moon, saying that during the 12-minute landing period it needed to have no contact with Earth. As it was just hundreds of meters (yards) away, the lander's camera broadcast images of the moon's surface.

The Chang'e 3's solar panels, which are used to absorb sunlight to generate power, opened soon after the landing. The Chang'e 3 will set up antennae that will transmit pictures back to Earth.

The Chang'e mission blasted off from southwest China on Dec. 2 on a Long March-3B carrier rocket.

China's military-backed space program has made methodical progress in a relatively short time, although it lags far behind the United States and Russia in technology and experience.

China sent its first astronaut into space in 2003, becoming the third nation after Russia and the United States to achieve manned space travel independently. In 2006, it sent its first probe to the moon. China plans to open a space station around 2020 and send an astronaut to the moon after that.

"They are taking their time with getting to know about how to fly humans into space, how to build space stations ... how to explore the solar system, especially the moon and Mars," Bond said. "They are making good strides, and I think over the next 10, 20 years they'll certainly be rivaling Russia and America in this area and maybe overtaking them in some areas.". Link http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/12/14/china-soft-landing-space-probe/4022707/

Drniyi4u:

badt boy. Hw is oau today?

dejt4u:
badt boy. Hw is oau today?

....sexy!

Chinese technology is evolving

really?

Hehehe*space for sale* I'm getting there very soon

Well, i'm coming

My question is, how long will it last?... Thumbs up 2 them sha.

....And some people will still come here and say China is known for fake and substandard products.

the time will come when dis guys will start building things on space...two thumbs up though

More kudos to china

goddess abi?? No wonder they are making progress as such. The devil is truely the ruler of this world. Big names, big countries, fame and so on. Brethrens, forget the vanities in this world. Turn to GOD, so we can together inherit our portion in GOD'S kingdom prepared for us. Righteousness and holiness in christ will take us there. JESUS CHRIST is the saviour. GOD bless you all.

Little men doing Big thangs.

An American man, English man
and Nigerian man, AKPOS were
travelling by sea. Suddenly, the

devil appeared on the ship and
said; Drop anything on the sea
water, if I find it, i will eat you, if i
don’t find it, i will be your slave.
The American dropped a PIN,
devil found it and ate him. The
English man dropped a COIN,
devil found it and ate him. It was
finally the turn of the Nigerian.
The Nigerian, AKPOS brought out
his Bottle of water, opened it and
poured a drop of WATER into the
sea and said to the devil; Today
NA Today. Oya, Find the DROP.
The DEVIL himself Fainted!__

Emelcee: My question is, how long will it last?... Thumbs up 2 them sha.

Do you expect a government-backed project with billions of dollars of R& D commitments to end up being fake or inferior? This is no roadside family biz producing chinko phones... It's fuc|king space tech!!

The super powers are building bridges in innovations & state of the art technology while my country leaders are busy looting the nation's treasury.

berem: ....And some people will still come here and say China is known for fake and substandard products.

that's what we are still saying, the power stations will all be chinco. "E no go last long"

Did I hear the OP used the work overtake in the right up? The only way China can overtake the Americans and the Russians is those ones stop their research drive in space technology for years. Something we are sure can't happen. China lags far behind the two powers in space technology and those don't stop developing making it impossible for China to overtake them. It is better China just develop at their own pace rather than get entangle with nations ahead of them and who do not stop developing.

the dollars they will use in the moon shd be donated to Nigerian government to assist in the power sector, biko

Like seriously?

no body seem to be considering the sun this is so unfair

It's not like the moon is their personal property! It belongs to the "earth" you can't just go in there and do some shi..tt the entire universe would have to pay for.

China breaking new ground,and we Nigerian yet to have stable electricity........since 1960.

Na so land scarce reach? Make dem no spoil moon for us ooo

I'm in front page, december go sweet.

But let's celebrate GEJ for 15 minutes of additional power.

And some will say we are not celebrating mediocrity in Nigeria.

Actually, they are right. We don't celebrate mediocrity in Nigeria, we celebrate FAILURE!

In 20 years, Sincere9gerian will be traveling to China for his medical problems while Nigeria is still trying to build the Second Niger Bridge.

Everyone will be playing the visa lottery to go to chinko. Mtcheeew! Why can't the people standing in the way of progress in this country just go and die!

emmyskies: goddess abi?? No wonder they are making progress as such. The devil is truely the ruler of this world. Big names, big countries, fame and so on. Brethrens, forget the vanities in this world. Turn to GOD, so we can together inherit our kingdom prepared for us. Righteousness and holiness in christ will take us there. JESUS CHRIST is the saviour. GOD bless you all.

Your foolishness stinks; gosh!!!

karlnyeno: I'm in front page, december go sweet.

i guess you've been using edge network on your smart phone now tell me which network are you using now?