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Nov. 3 - Chang'e I carried out its first orbital correction on Friday morning in a bid to ensure it travels on its preset orbit.

The Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) issued the instructions at 10:25 am on Friday, when two small engines on Chang'e I were ignited to slightly modulate its trajectory.

Eight minutes later, the orbital correction was completed.

The move, which was scheduled to be carried out on Thursday, was canceled as the probe was traveling on the expected trajectory in an "unexpectedly precise" way after it left the Earth orbit late on Wednesday, BACC chief engineer Wang Yejun, said.

"Data shows we have reached our expectation through the orbital correction," he said.

"That's also the reason why we didn't employ the main engine on Chang'e I for the first orbital correction, because it is not necessary and it also saves energy for the orbiter's future operation," he said.

A second orbital correction might be carried out on ...

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