Published: 14 September, 2007, 07:05
Edited: 14 September, 2007, 07:05
Japan has entered the race to explore the moon by launching its first ever lunar probe into orbit. The plan is for it to go around the Earth twice and then head to the moon. The whole expedition is expected to take around three weeks.
The country's scientists say it is the most technically complex lunar mission since the U.S. Apollo programme.
Japan has also announced plans to send astronauts to the moon by 2025, even though the country currently runs no manned space flights.