A Chinese navigation satellite was successfully hauledinto orbit Friday to kick off a busy year in space that will include the launchof the country's first probe to study the Moon.
Liftoff of the Beidousatellite was at 1628 GMT (11:28 a.m. EST) from the Xichang space launch centerin southwestern China's Sichuan province. The three-stage Long March 3A rocketdeployed its payload into the planned orbit 24 minutes later, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.
A major highlight for theChinese space program will be the launch of the Chang'e 1 lunarorbiter in April. The probe will blast off atop a Long March 3A rocket andwill orbit the Moon at an altitude ofapproximately 125 miles (201 kilometers), according to the People's Dailynewspaper.
Chang'e 1 will create a detailedmap of the lunar surface and analyze the Moon's soil content, Chinesescientists said.
China's second marinesurvey satellite, called Haiyang 1B, could be launched in April to begin amission to monitor ocean conditions such as temperature and winds, officialstold People's Daily.
Two communicationssatellites are also on China's space manifest for 2007. The televisionbroadcasting and relay craft are to be launched in June and October to helpprovide media coverage for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Chinese workers are alsoworking to prepare for the next step in the country's human spaceflightprogram. Slated for launch in 2008, Shenzhou7 will carry China's firstthree-person crew into orbit for a flight lasting several days.
During the mission, atleast one astronaut will exit the capsulefor a spacewalk - another first for the nation's burgeoningspace program.
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