China's second lunar probe, Cheng'e 2, is on its way to the Moon, and will arrive there next week. When it arrives, its first task will be to take detailed images of the vast lunar impact basin, the Bay of Rainbows, in preparation for China's first unmanned lunar landing.
A Chinese spokesman noted that most lunar probes have landed in the Moon's equatorial region because that is the easiest area to reach and makes communications simpler. China, however, wants to reach an area that has not yet been explored. It's a good decision, and one that suggests China's emerging confidence in its space capabilities.
China's first unmanned lunar landing mission is scheduled for 2013.
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