BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Preparations are underway for the upcoming launch of the Chang'e 3, a probe that will land on the moon's surface. The probe has arrived at Xichang city in Southwest China's Sichuan province ahead of its launch later this year.

The Chang’e 3 will be China’s first spacecraft to make a soft landing on the moon. The rover comes equipped with a telescope which will be able to make observations of space from the moon, and cameras to take photos of the lunar surface as well.

It’s scheduled to launch at the end of this year, as the second phase of China’s ongoing Lunar Exploration Program.