A prototype model of a lunar rover at the 15th China International Industry Fair in Shanghai. Photo: Stringer/Reuters

China will land its first probe on the moon in early December which will deploy a buggy to explore its surface, an official said yesterday, marking a major milestone in the country’s space ambitions.

China has already photographed the surface of the moon to prepare for the landing, said a spokesman for the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence. In 2007, China launched its first moon orbiter, the Chang’e One orbiter, named after a lunar goddess, which took images of the surface and analysed the distribution of elements.

Chang’e Three will help China fulfil its lunar exploration dream

The lunar explorer buggy was named Yutu in a public vote. Yutu means jade rabbit, a reference to Chang’e pet rabbit in folklore.

“Chang’e Three’s mission requires mastering many key technologies. The technical difficulties and the risks involved in carrying out the mission will be high,” spokesman Wu Zhijian told a news conference, carried live on state television. “In taking on the mission to land on the moon, Chang’e Three will help China fulfil its lunar exploration dream, its space dream and the Chinese dream.”