China's lunar probe

XICHANG (Sichuan): China will launch its second lunar probe, Chang'e II, at an appropriate time between October 1 and 3, the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC), in southwest China's Sichuan Province, announced on Wednesday.

Fuelling of the CZ-3C rocket will begin on September 30.

The lunar probe will test key technology for Chang'e III, collect data for future landings of Chang'e III and Chang'e IV, and provide high-resolution photographs of the landing area.

Chang'e II is expected to take about 112 hours, or nearly five days, to arrive at its lunar orbit.

The country plans to launch its third unmanned probe to the moon, Chang'e III, in 2013.

New polar station

China is planning to build a new station in the South Pole for scientific research in five to 15 years, which will be the country's fourth, the State Oceanic Administration said on Sunday.

Qu Tanzhou, director of the administration's polar region expedition office, made the statement at the China Symposium on Polar Science held in Shanghai.

China's three existing South Pole research stations are the Great Wall, Zhongshan and Kunlun.

China would also build a modern fleet of ships for polar scientific research, which had been included in the five-year plan from 2011 to 2015, he added. — Xinhua