China 2007
Chang’e 1
China’s own lunar orbiter, Chang’e 1, is shown on this stamp released at the end of 2007. It was initially placed in an elliptical orbit over the Moon’s poles that was circularized in two steps.
Stanley Gibbons catalogue number:
5231
China also released this commemorative sheet depicting the probe’s trajectory around the Earth and Moon. As the illustration shows, Chang’e was launched into an elliptical orbit around the Earth that was raised twice before it was sent off to the Moon. When it reached the Moon, its initially elliptical orbit was circularized in two steps.
The sheet incorporates eight stamps with a circular design representing four divine birds flying around the Sun; this is the symbol of Chinese cultural heritage.
Stanley Gibbons catalogue number:
The sheet does not have an SG number, but the stamps depicting the divine birds of the Sun were originally released earlier in 2007 and have the SG number 5149.