China steps up its space game

(AP Photo/Greg Baker)

One down, two to go.

China launched its first lunar probe Wednesday, marking the first step of a three-stage moon mission.

The Associated Press reports the Chang'e 1, named after a legendary Chinese goddess who flew to the moon, is expected to transmit its first photo back to China in late November, and to conduct explorations of the moon for a year.

In the second phase of China's moon mission there will be a moon landing with a moon rover in 2012. About five years later, another rover will land on the moon and return to Earth with soil and rock samples.

For more, check out this AP story by Audra Ang.

-- Jaime Holguin