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China plans to launch first moon orbiter on Wednesday
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    • BEIJING, Oct 22 (AFP) Oct 22, 2007
     China, which plans one day to send a human to the moon, said it expected to launch its first lunar orbiter on Wednesday, state media reported, quoting the country's space agency.

    The launch of the Chang'e I rocket and orbiter will likely take place on Wednesday at 6:00 pm (1000 GMT) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwestern Sichuan province, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

    The launch of the moon orbiter is part of a three-step lunar exploration programme China hopes will eventually see moon samples brought back to Earth.

    The probe will be followed by robotic missions and, eventually, a lunar base to allow astronauts to live longer on the moon and utilise its resources.

    China successfully launched astronaut Yang Liwei into orbit in 2003, becoming the third country after the former Soviet Union and the United States to put a man in space.

    China has offered 2,000 tickets to the public to view the launch.




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