China today put on show pictures of ‘Sinus Iridum’, or ‘Bay of Rainbows’, the spot on the moon’s surface where it plans to land its third lunar mission in 2013.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao unveiled pictures of the ’Bay of Rainbows’, marking the success of China’s ‘Chang’e-2’ lunar probe mission, official media here said.
The pictures were taken and sent back by ‘Chang’e-2’, China’s second lunar probe, which was launched on October 1.
The lunar probe named after a Chinese mythical moon goddess, is currently orbiting 100 km above the moon taking pictures of its surface with a high resolution camera.
’Chang’e-2’, regarded as a trial run to land ’Chang’e-3’ in 2013, is aimed at testing necessary technologies and continuing to transfer data back to earth for further research before eventually landing on the moon as an experiment for future lunar probes.
According to the new road map, China also plans to send a probe to Mars by 2013 and to Venus by 2015, besides setting up its own manned space station.
