Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Trucks carrying rocket parts
2. Rocket parts
3. Various of rocket technicians working
4. Cases

FILE: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China - Nov 19, 2018 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
5. Rocket carrying BeiDou-3 satellites blasting off from launch pad
6. Command center
7. Animation showing twin BeiDou navigation satellites

Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
8. Various of rocket, technicians
9. Various of Ma Li, rocket technician, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, working with colleagues
10. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ma Li, rocket technician, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (starting with shot 9/ending with shot 11):
"I came here in 1977, and it has been 41 years now. Back then it was at the stage of research and development. We launched one or two rockets a year. It was far fewer."

FILE: China - Exact Location and Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
11. Rocket blasting off from launch pad
12. Various of carrier rocket

Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
13. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ma Li, rocket technician, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (starting with shot 12, partially overlaid with shots 14-15, ending with shot 16):
"At that time there was a saying that those who work on missiles earn less than those who sell eggs. That was the picture back then. Indeed, some of my friends advised me to leave the academy. But the education I received taught me to love what I do, and so I just ignored their advice."

++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
FILE: China - Exact Location and Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
14. Rocket standing at launch pad
15. Various of preparation before rocket launching
++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++

Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
16. Badge on Ma's white gown
17. Various of rocket parts being transfered, technicians
18. Ma working with young technicians
19. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ma Li, rocket technician, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (starting with shot 18/ending with shot 20):
"The launch site has just two teams, and at the same time there is an assembly team at the headquarters where every senior technician trains one apprentice. They are passing on the experience. That’s a rare opportunity for young men of a generation to develop. There will be faster development in the future."
20. Ma working with young technicians
21. Various of rocket being transferred, technicians working on rocket

The Chang'e-4 lunar probe that was launched in the early hours of Saturday is another example of the huge gains China’s aerospace industry has made in its 40 years of reform.

A Long March-3B rocket, carrying the probe including a lander and a rover, blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 02:23, opening a new chapter in lunar exploration. It is expected to make the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon.

Ma Li is a rocket technician with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. He is now engaged in a new round of preparation for the next blasting off of the Long March rockets.

And just on November 18, China sent two new satellites into the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) by the Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

Ma said this kind of frequent launching was something that could be hardly imagined four decades ago when he just started to work for the academy.

"I came here in 1977, and it has been 41 years now. Back then it was at the stage of research and development. We launched one or two rockets a year. It was far fewer," said Ma.

The Long March carrier rockets conducted a total of 30 launch missions in the following 15 years after Ma’s employment, and some of them even failed.

"At that time there was a saying that those who work on missiles earn less than those who sell eggs. That was the picture back then. Indeed, some of my friends advised me to leave the academy. But the education I received taught me to love what I do, and so I just ignored their advice," said Ma.

Then China began to build the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System at the beginning of the 21st century. In 2018, a total of 19 BDS-3 satellites were sent into space. And Ma’s team did 14 rounds of them, all of which were successful. Ma is proud of making contribution to the BDS global network.

Now an experienced rocket assembler, Ma said his priority was to pass his skills onto the younger generation.

"The launch site has just two teams, and at the same time there is an assembly team at the headquarters where every senior technician trains one apprentice. They are passing on the experience. That’s a rare opportunity for young men of a generation to develop. There will be faster development in the future," he said.

China plans to send the Chang'e-5 lunar probe by a Long March-5 carrier rocket to the moon in 2019. The probe is expected to take back a sample from the moon.