Article Posted on : - Nov 13, 2008

China publishes its first full map of the moon surface in Beijing, Nov 12, taken by its first lunar probe Chang'e-1.Xinhua/Li Xiaoguo

HONG KONG (BNS): Just hours after India's moon probe Chandrayaan-1 perched itself into the final lunar orbit, China made public its first full map of the moon's surface taken by the communist nation's first lunar probe Chang'e-1.

The pictures come a year after the Chinese moon probe was launched.

According to state-owned news agency Xinhua, the picture of the moon surface unveiled on Wednesday covered the complete range of areas on the moon surface, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, which is in charge of the country's moon program.

Scientists created the map with the image data captured by the satellite-borne camera on the Chang'e-1, administration vice director Sun Laiyan told reporters. "It was the most complete image of the moon surface, and also the richest in detail, among similar pictures published so far, according to experts with the country's moon probe program," the report noted.

The lunar probe was originally designed to cover the moon surface within 70 degrees south and north latitudes. However, the camera was in a good condition to get high-definition image data of the south and north poles of the moon as well, the report said. The map was presented to the National Museum of China at the press conference, but the museum's curator did not say when it would be on public display.

"Chang'e-1 has completed its one-year operation and scientific exploration, and this marked the successful completion of the country's first-phase moon mission," administration director Chen Qiufa was quoted as saying. Chen also said China planned to launch its second lunar probe, Chang'e-2, before the end of 2011.

The launch of Chang'e-1 in October last year was the first step of China's three-stage moon mission, and a moon landing and the launch of a moon rover at around 2012 is planned for the second stage, according to the official report. In the third phase, another rover will land on the moon and return to earth with lunar soil and stone samples for scientific research at around 2017.