Editing Chang'e 1 (section)

== Objectives ==
The Chang'e 1 mission had four major goals:<ref name="results" /><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMPM53Z28F_index_0.html | title = Chang'e-1 – new mission to Moon lifts off | publisher = [[European Space Agency]] | access-date=2007-10-24}}</ref>

# Obtaining three-dimensional images of the landforms and geological structures of the [[lunar surface]], so as to provide a reference for planned future soft landings. The orbit of Chang'e 1 around the Moon was designed to provide complete coverage, including areas near the north and south poles not covered by previous missions.
# Analysing and mapping the abundance and distribution of various chemical elements on the lunar surface as part of an evaluation of potentially useful resources on the Moon. China hopes to extend the number of elements studied to 14 ([[potassium]] (K), [[thorium]] (Th), [[uranium]] (U), [[oxygen]] (O), [[silicon]] (Si), [[magnesium]] (Mg), [[aluminium]] (Al), [[calcium]] (Ca), [[tellurium]] (Te), [[titanium]] (Ti), [[sodium]] (Na), [[manganese]] (Mn), [[chromium]] (Cr), and [[lanthanum]] (La)),<ref name=huixian/> compared with the 10 elements (K, U, Th, Fe ([[iron]]), Ti, O, Si, Al, Mg, and Ca)<ref>{{cite journal | journal = Science | date = 1998 | volume = 281 | issue = 5382 | pages = 1484–1489 | doi = 10.1126/science.281.5382.1484 | title = Global Elemental Maps of the Moon: The Lunar Prospector Gamma-Ray Spectrometer | author = D. J. Lawrence | display-authors = 4 | author2 = W. C. Feldman | author3 = B. L. Barraclough | author4 = A. B. Binder | author5 = R. C. Elphic | author6 = S. Maurice | author7 = D. R. Thomsen | pmid = 9727970 | bibcode=1998Sci...281.1484L| doi-access = free }}</ref> previously probed by [[NASA]]'s [[Lunar Prospector]].
# Probing the features of the lunar soil and assessing its depth, as well as the amount of [[helium-3]] (³He) present.<ref name=huixian/>
# Probing the space environment between 40,000&nbsp;km. (24854.8&nbsp;mi) and 400,000&nbsp;km (248548.5&nbsp;mi) from the Earth, recording data on the solar wind and studying the impact of solar activity on the Earth and the Moon.

In addition, the lunar probe engineering system, composed of five major systems – the satellite system, the launch vehicle system, the launch site system, the monitoring and control system and the ground application system – accomplished five goals:

* Researching, developing and launching China's first lunar probe
* Mastering the basic technology of placing satellites in lunar orbit
* Conducting China's first scientific exploration of the Moon
* Initially forming a lunar probe space engineering system
* Accumulating experience for the later phases of China's lunar exploration program