Beijing: China will share all data obtained by its successful lunar probe mission with other nations, the jubilant official media said on Sunday as it asserted that space exploration was not just “the patent" of a certain country.

China became the third country to carry out a successful rover mission to the moon on Saturday when its probe Chang’e-3 landed on the lunar surface, following the US and former Soviet Union.

“Space exploration is the cause of mankind, not just “the patent" of a certain country," state-run Xinhua news agency said in a commentary, apparently referring to the US. “China will share the achievements of its lunar exploration with the whole world and use them to benefit humanity," it said.

“It is learned that all data obtained by Chang’e-3 will be open to the whole world. China’s lunar exploration provides an opportunity for countries dedicated to peaceful use of outer space to advance space technology together," the commentary said.

“Open and self-confident, China, in its space exploration drive, also sincerely welcomes international cooperation for common progress," it said.

“Chang’e-3’s graceful landing, one of the three key stages of China’s lunar programme featuring “cycle, land and return", made a historic breakthrough, leaving the achievements of her previous two sisters Chang’e-1 and Chang’e-2 far behind. A small rove by Chang’e-3 on the moon demonstrated a big

stride of China," it said.

According to statistics, 129 lunar explorations were seen before Chang’e-3 landed, but only half of them succeeded, among which only the US and the former Soviet Union completed 13 unmanned soft landings successfully. “The low success rate tells the difficulties of lunar exploration and landing," the commentary said.

The tougher thing is that China, as a newcomer in the world’s deep space exploration club, has been adhering to self-innovation. Compared with her two previous sisters, Chang’e-1 and Chang’e-2, 80% of Chang’e-3’s components and technologies are the latest, said Sun Zezhou, chief designer of Chang’e-3.

“Soft landing marks “hard success". In an unexplored area on the moon for scientific exploration, Chang’e-3 is not chasing fame in the “lunar landing club". She will release moon rover “Yutu" for mobile exploration, to advance human knowledge about the moon. From Chang’e-1 to Chang’e-3, China is constantly challenging a new high. The dream for lunar exploration once again lights up the China Dream," the commentary said.

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