Preparations are on in China to launch a moon mission and bring about two kilogram of lunar soil samples to Earth, People's Daily reported Friday.

The mission is part of the third phase of the lunar exploration programme.

Engineers are expected to lay the groundwork this year, said Hu Hao, chief designer of the lunar exploration programme's third phase and a deputy to the National People's Congress which ended Wednesday.

The mission will involve a "relay" approach, that will require precision rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit, he said.

The mission will see a rocket launched from Earth. A four-module spacecraft will then enter lunar orbit.

Two modules will land on the moon, one will scoop up soil. This will be placed into the ascending module that will blast off from the lunar surface and dock with the orbiting module.

The sample will then be transferred from this module to one that will be jettisoned for Earth re-entry, the daily said.

China requires lunar soil to conduct scientific research.

Source: Indo-Asia News Service