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Chang'e 1 is now in orbit!

Emily Lakdawalla

Written by Emily Lakdawalla
November 5, 2007

At 03:37 UTC today, Chinese mission controllers successfully commanded the Chang'e 1 spacecraft into lunar orbit, according to chinaview.cn. There are now two spacecraft orbiting the Moon, Chang'e 1 and Kaguya, and China is now a member of the very small club of nations who have built something and launched it to another world. Congratulations to China!

Chang'e 1 enters lunar orbit

Xinhua news agency

Chang'e 1 enters lunar orbit
Mission controllers at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center guided China's first satellite to leave Earth, Chang'e 1, into lunar orbit on November 5, 2007.

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