Chinese Satellite Orbits Moon

(Beijing, China) Today, China proudly announced "a leap forward in the country's aerospace technology" with the news that a satellite has been placed in orbit around the moon.


From Xinhuanet:

China's lunar probe project, which aims to send the country's first circumlunar probe to a destined orbit for scientific explorations, will boost the nation's explorative and innovative spirit, a government spokesman said here Monday.

Chang'e-1, the probe, completed its first braking and entered the moon's orbit at around 11:37 a.m. Monday, which made it a real circumlunar satellite.

The project will exert deep influence on the nation and its people's life, said Pei Zhaoyu, spokesman with the China National Space Administration (CNSA), at a press conference in Beijing.

"We all see that there has been an increasing fervor for astronomical and aerospace knowledge among the common people following the probe's blast-off, which is a good display of the project's influence and will spark the nation's explorative and innovative spirit," Pei said.

"The project is a comprehensive demonstration of China's economic, scientific and technological power," Pei said.

"It has greatly boosted the nation's pride, cohesion and confidence," Pei said.

It's only speculated that a few American officials were sent thanky notes from the Chinese government for their technological assistance.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.