Chang'e-3 lunar probe to land on the moon  

嫦娥三号今受"落月"考验 中国首次地外天体软着陆

嫦娥三号探测器今日将接受“落月”考验，以软着陆的方式登陆月球。届时，中国将成为美国和前苏联之后全球第三个实现月球软着陆的国家。备受期待的“玉兔号”月球车也将正式开启月表探秘之旅。[查看全文]

(ECNS) -- China's Chang'e-3 lunar probe, which is carrying moon rover "Yutu", is due to land on the moon today.  [Special coverage]

The unmanned spacecraft is scheduled to touch down on a lava plain named Sinus Iridum, or Bay of Rainbows, around 9:40 pm Saturday (Beijing Time), said the Legal Evening News.

After landing, Chang'e-3 will release the moon rover, and the solar-powered rover will patrol the moon's surface for three months.

If everything goes according to plan, it will be the first time for a Chinese spacecraft to soft-land on the surface of an extraterrestrial body.