2nd Chinese Lunar Mission To Be Orbiter

China's second unmanned lunar mission, Chang'e 2, will be a lunar orbiter, not a rover as implied earlier by Chinese reports.

Planned for launch in 2009-2010, it will carry somewhat different instrumentation than Chang'e 1, but will make no attempt to land, according to Ye Peijiam, who helped design the highly successful Chang'e 1. That spacecraft is still operating in lunar orbit.

The first Chinese moon landing attempt will not be made until about 2012 with a lunar rover that could be followed by a sample return mission as early as 2017. Both vehicles will be powered in part by nuclear power generators. The rover and sample return spacecraft will be launched by China's new oxygen/hydrogen powered Long March 5 rocket series still undergoing ground tests.

The Chinese seem to be building up a steady lunar exploration program. No leap and bounds, but steady, solid progress and exploration.