] China has revealed further details of its plans to
] explore the Moon - the first unmanned probe could be
] launched by 2005, say officials. They also hinted that
] the motivation for the missions is to mine the Moon's
] resources.
]
] The lunar program, named Chang'e after a legend about a
] fairy that visits the moon, would be in three phases.
] First an orbiter would be sent to the Moon, followed by a
] lander, and then finally a sample return craft.
]
] "We will be able to embark on a maiden unmanned mission
] within two and a half years if the government endorses
] the scheme now,'' Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of
] China's lunar exploration programme, told The People's
] Daily.

New Scientist - China's moon plans