DHAKA: China launched its first ever extraterrestrial landing craft into orbit en route for the moon in the early hours of Monday, in a major milestone for its space programme.

‘The probe has already entered the designated orbit,’ the official Xinhua news agency quoted Zhang Zhenzhong, director of the launch centre, as saying, ‘I now announce the launch was successful’, reports The Straits Times.

‘We will strive for our space dream as part of the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation,’ he added.

The ‘Chang’e-3’ lunar probe, which includes the Yutu or Jade Rabbit buggy, blasted off on board an enhanced Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China’s south-western Sichuan province at 1.30am local time.

BDST: 1338 HRS, DEC 02, 2013