Japan has launched a rocket carrying what it plans to be the country's first successful Moon lander.
This is an effort to become the fifth nation in the world to land an object on the moon.
The lunar craft is officially known as Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM).
It is also referred to as the “moon sniper”.
The SLIM spacecraft is expected to land on the moon’s surface sometime in January of February next year.
It was taking a long but more fuel-efficient path.
The rocket is also carrying a research satellite which has been developed by NASA, the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).