Video of Chang'e 3's descent and landing on the Moon

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CNSA / CCTV

Video of Chang'e 3's descent and landing on the Moon

This version of the video has been flipped 180 degrees to put sky above ground. The mountains on the horizon are the Montes Recti. The lander is decelerating at an angle until about 2:50 when it can be seen to rotate vertical. This was at an altitude of about 2000 meters. It then lowered to an altitude of 100 meters, where it came to a hovering standstill (at about 5:15). It used imaging and laser ranging to determine a safe place for the landing, then continued the descent. At an altitude of about 4 meters, it cut the engines and fell to the surface.

Here is a version of the video in its original orientation.

Original image data dated on or about December 14, 2013

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