China's Mission to the Moon

Here a first report on China's mission to the moon, published by XinHua News Agency early this morning. It's a rather poetic perception of what happened just some hours ago:



飞向月宫 飞向梦想——嫦娥三号发射全记录

Flying to Moon Palace - Flying to our Dream
Complete Record of "Chang'e" No.3 Launch

[Editor's note: "Chang'e" is the goddess of the moon in Chinese legend.
She should have been a woman who drank some miraculous potion,
stolen from her husband, and flew to the moon.]

新华网西昌１２月２日电２０１３年１２月１日１９时３０分，西昌卫星发射场。群山环抱中，长征三号乙运载火箭静静地伫立在二号发射塔架旁。

它托举着的就是万众瞩目的主角——嫦娥三号。

６个小时后，承载着中国探月新梦想的嫦娥三号就将怀抱“玉兔”从这里启程，奔向3６．８万公里之外的“月宫”。

December 2, Xinhua Network report from Xichang:
Xichang satellite launching facility on the first of December, 2013, at 19:30 [local time]. In the mountainous environment, a "Long March No.3 b" carrier rocket quietly reposed on its launching site.

It should serve as a support to lift off Chang'e No.3, the main "actress" in the focus of millions of people.

Six hours later, Chang'e No.3, bearing the weight of China's new dream of exploring the moon, the "Jade Hare", in her bosom, started on her journey and hurried to the "Moon Palace" which is 368.000 km away from here.

[Editor's note: "Jade Hare" is a legendary Chinese name for the moon. Here it seems to be the name of a scouting robot that should be deployed on the moon.]

[Source: XINHUA 新华网—军事 on December 2, 2013]


"Jade Hare" will carry China's flag to the moon.

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