China's first moon orbiter blasts off

Chinanews, Oct. 24 - Chang'e-1, China's first moon orbiter, blasted off on a Long March 3A carrier rocket from the No. 3 launching tower in the Xichang Satellite Launch Center of eastern Sichuan Province at 6:05 p.m. on October 24.
Chinese space experts, technicians and other work staff, joined by experts from Japan, Germany and other countries as well as millions of domestic audience from across the country, were watching the launching process, Xinhua News Agency reports.
Chang'e-1, named after a legendary Chinese goddess who is said to have flied to the moon, is expected to enter earth-moon transfer orbit on October 31 and arrive in the moon's orbit on November 5, according to Xinhua.