This Day, That Year

Item from Nov 27, 2007, in China Daily: China published the first lunar image captured by orbiter Chang'e 1 yesterday, marking the start of the satellite's mission to document the moon's landscape. The success has laid a solid foundation for follow-on scientific exploration and research.

The Chang'e 1 mission in 2007 inaugurated an era of lunar exploration for China, divided into three phases.

The probe ended its 16-month mission on March 1, 2009, when it crashed onto the moon's surface. Chang'e 2 was launched in 2010.