China to Launch Unmanned Lunar Lander 'Chang'e-3' by the End of This Year

China confirmed Wednesday plans to launch its first unmanned lunar spacecraft by the end of this year, which will carry a small rover along with it to the lunar surface.  

 The State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence of China announced that the unmanned Chang'e-3 mission had officially entered the launch stage phase and the research and construction period of Chang'e-3 mission was complete, Xinhua reported. Chang'e 3 will be blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China.

The first Chinese unmanned lunar orbiter Chang'e 1 was launched in October 2007 and it had entered the lunar orbit in November and was operational till March 2009. The Chang'e 1 mission helped gather data that was used to create a 3D map of the lunar surface.

After this they launched, Chang'e 2 in October 2010 that is currently orbiting along L2 Lagrangian Point between the Sun and the Earth. It was launched to conduct lunar research to eventually help in the lunar landing of Chang'e 3.

"The Chang'e-3 mission makes best use of a plethora of innovative technology. It is an extremely difficult mission, that carries great risk," Ma Xingrui, head of China's space exploration body and chief commander of the lunar program, told Xinhua.

The Chang'e 3 mission is the second phase of China's lunar program, which includes orbiting, landing as well as returning to the Earth with lunar soil and stone samples by 2017, reports Reuters.

The carrier rocket of Chang'e 3 has successfully passed the first test and the launch pad, control and ground applications are set for the mission.

China has also talked of the possibility of landing a man on the moon after 2020.