In this photo released by China's official Xinhua news agency, a Long March 3C rocket carrying China's second unmanned lunar probe Chang'e II is launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan province on Oct. 1. NewscomChina Is On Path To 'Militarization Of Space' -- Christian Science Monitor
The Asian space race is moving along slowly, but steadily – and China is in the lead, with technology that could give it a military advantage over the US.
China looks set to pull ahead in the Asian space race to the moon, putting a spacecraft into lunar orbit Oct. 6 in a preparatory mission for an unmanned moon landing in two or three years.
Chinese engineers will maneuver the craft into an extremely low orbit, 9.5 miles above the moon's surface, so it can take high-resolution photos of a possible landing site.
Basically, China is looking for a good "parking space" for a moon lander, in a less-known area of the moon known as the Bay of Rainbows.
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Update #1: China could soon leave US behind in militarizing of space -- Beijing News
Update #2: China's Militarization of Space a Long Term Threat -- Associated Content
My Comment: China's long term goal of achieving dominance in space is not being primarily driven by U.S. or Russian space objectives .... it is driven over what it's neighbor and regional competitor may decide to do.