Lunar orbiter blasts off in Xichang
At 6:05 pm, Chang'e I blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center atop a Long March 3-A carrier rocket.
The circumlunar satellite separated from the rocket at 6:29 pm and entered into Earth orbit, where it will travel for seven days, according to the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC).
About an hour after the launch, Li Shangfu, director of the Xichang launch center, declared the endeavor a success after Chang'e I entered the Earth orbit and unfolded its solar panel for energy.
The control of the orbiter was then transferred to BACC.
"It marks another milestone in China's space program," said Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan at the Xichang center.
Developed with indigenous technology, the 1.4 billion yuan ($186 million) mission is considered the third milestone in the country's space venture, following the launch of the first satellite in 1970 and two manned missions in the past five years.
"This was a truly perfect launch. If I were to rate it, I would give it a hundred out of a hundred," said Zhou Jianliang, a deputy chief engineer at the Beijing center.
Chang'e I, named after a legendary Chinese fairy who flew to the moon, is expected to enter the Earth-moon transfer orbit on October 31 and reach the moon's orbit on November 5.
It will circle around the moon for a year to analyze chemical and mineral composition and to explore the characteristics of the lunar surface.
It will use stereo cameras and X-ray spectrometers to map three-dimensional images of the surface and study the moon's dust.
The satellite is expected to transmit its first photos back to Earth in the second half of next month.
It is the first step of China's three-stage moon mission, which will lead to a moon landing of a rover around 2012. In the third phase, another rover will land on the moon and return to Earth with soil and stone samples for scientific research around 2017.
下午6.05分，运载着嫦娥1号探月卫星的长征3号A运载火箭在西昌卫星发射中心点火发射。
据北京航空控制中心透露，嫦娥1号绕月卫星于下午6.29分与运载火箭分离，并进入地球轨道，且将绕地球七天。
西昌卫星发射中心的主任李尚富说，发射大约一个小时以后，嫦娥1号已成功进入地球轨道，并打开太阳能板吸收能量。
对嫦娥1号的监控工作随之转到北京航空控制中心。
国家副总理曾培炎在西昌发射中心说：“嫦娥1号的成功发射是中国航天史上的又一里程碑。”
随着国内技术的发展，这项投资1.4亿元人民币（1860万美元）的工程是继1970年发射第一颗人造卫星，以及过去五年里的两次载人航天飞船之后的中国航天史上第三个里程碑。
这是一次真正完美的发射，如果让我来评价的话，我对此打一百分。北京航天中心一名副总工程师说道。
嫦娥1号，根据中国古代神话嫦娥奔月命名，预计将于10月31日进入月球转移轨道，并于11月5日正式进入月球轨道。
嫦娥1号将绕月一年分析月球上的化学物质与矿物质的成份并探测月球表面特性。
人造卫星上的立体摄像机和x射线分光计将对月球表面进行三维图象扫描并对月球表面尘土进行分析
下个月的后半月，卫星有望将第一张三维照片返回地球。
这是中国探月任务三步走第一步，这将促使在2012年左右登月者能漫游月球，第三步则是大约在2017年将另外一个登月者送上月球，并采集月球上用于科学研究的土壤和岩石标本返回地球。
