Editor's notes: Ouyang Ziyuan, academician at China Academy of Sciences and chief scientist of China's moon exploration project, talked with China Daily's Ma Chao about Chang'e 1, the first spacecraft sent by China to the lunar orbit as well as the future of China's exploration of the moon.

CD: Between October 2007 and March of this year, the Chang'e 1 spacecraft circled the moon for nearly 18 months. As chief scientist, what do you think has been achieved with Chang'e 1? And what has the spacecraft meant to the future of China's moon exploration project?

Ouyang: Though China's moon exploration project began much later than other countries, it is at the cutting-edge in several aspects and is unique in many ways without excessive expenditures of money.