XICHANG, Sichuan -- China's second unmanned lunar probe, Chang'e-2, blasts off on Friday, inaugurating the second phase of the country's three-step lunar exploration program. At 6:59:57 p.m. Friday, the Chang'e-2 blasted off on a Long March 3C carrier rocket from the No. 2 launching tower at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The lunar probe will test key technologies and collect data for future landings of Chang'e-3 and Chang'e-4, and provide high-resolution photographs of the landing area.

Chang'e-2 was built as an alternative to Chang'e-1, which was launched in October 2007 and maintained a 16-month lunar orbit. The series of Chang'e probes is named after a legendary Chinese moon goddess.