Chang'e 2 ,is a Chinese lunar probe that was launched on October 1st 2010.It is China's second lunar orbiter,part of the first phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program.The probe will conduct research at a 100-kilometer-high lunar orbit as a preparation for a soft landing by Chang'e 3.Chang'e 2 is similar to Chang'e 1 with some improvements including a better camera with a resolution of one meter.It is named after a legendary Chinese goddess of the moon.
Chang'e 2 spacecraft was launched on October 1st 2010 at 18:59:57 ,aboard a Long March 3C rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center.The spacecraft entered into an orbit with a perigee of 200 kilometers and apogee of 380,000 kilometers and seperated from the carrier rocket as planned.It was the first time that a Chinese lunar probe directly entered the earth-moon transfer orbit without orbiting the earth first.After the launch,Chang'e 2 is expected to arrive at its lunar orbit in about 112 hours,much faster than the 12 days taken by Chang'e 1.Later,the probe will lower its orbit to 100 km and having a lower point of only 15 km.