Development of Chang’e program

China launched its lunar exploration program in 2004, naming it Chang’e, goddess of the moon in Chinese legend.

Chang’e 1 was tasked with verifying lunar probe technologies, obtaining lunar images and performing scientific surveys. It was launched on Oct 24, 2007. In November 2008, a map of the entire lunar surface, based on Chang’e 1 data, was published. On March 1, 2009, the probe was taken out of orbit and crashed into the lunar surface.

Chang’e 2, a backup of Chang’e 1 with some technical improvements, was launched on Oct 1, 2010, to conduct high-definition imaging of the moon and to verify the suitability of the Chang’e 3 landing site. It is now engaged in a long-term mission into the solar system to verify space tracking and control technologies.

Chang’e 3, a milestone in China’s space program, was launched on Dec 2, 2013. It was the first Chinese spacecraft to make a soft landing on the moon and the first craft to do so since the former Soviet Union’s Luna-24 probe touched down in August 1976. Chang’e 3 released the first Chinese lunar rover, Yutu, which functioned on the moon’s surface for nearly 1,000 days. The lander of Chang’e 3 is still operational.

Chang’e 5 will weigh about 8.2 metric tons and will be the largest and heaviest lunar probe ever made by China. It will have four components — an orbiter, lander, ascender and re-entry module. The probe is scheduled to be launched next year by China’s largest carrier rocket, the Long March 5.