BEIJING: China will launch its first ever moon rover mission tomorrow, state media said, as Beijing embarks on the latest stage in its ambitious space programme.
A rocket carrying the vehicle, named “Jade Rabbit” in a nod to Chinese folklore, will blast off at 1:30 am local time (1730 GMT today).
“The Chang’e 3 is set to be launched for its moon mission from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Dec. 2,” state broadcaster CCTV said on its verified Twitter account on Saturday.
Official news agency Xinhua also confirmed the launch date, citing officials at the satellite launch centre in Sichuan province. If successful, the launch will mark a major milestone in China’s space exploration programme, which aims to create a permanent space station by 2020 and eventually send someone to the moon.
But its technology lags behind the expertise of the United States and Russia.
Singapore silent over spy claim
SINGAPORE: Singapore on Friday said it would not be drawn into confirming or denying allegations that it was part of a US-led electronic spying network in Asia.
Foreign Minister K Shanmugam said at a forum that neighbours Indonesia and Malaysia, which summoned Singapore’s envoys this week over reports that such a network exists, are aware that the city-state has no intention to harm relations.
The ensuing back-and-forth on any Singapore statement on specific intelligence issues would be “never ending,” he said.
Chinese official sacked for graft
SHANGHAI: China’s Communist Party has fired a senior provincial official for “suspected serious disciplinary violations”, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday, making him the latest target in acrackdown on corruption.
Guo Youming, the vice governor of the central province of Hubei, was removed from his post after China’s corruption watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, announced a probe into the official this week. The report gave no further details, but the term discipline violations is generally used to denote corruption. AGENCIES
