Via the BBC: China launches first Moon orbiter:

The satellite is expected to enter lunar orbit in early November and start sending back pictures of the Moon’s surface later that month.

It is all part, it would seem, of an Asia-based space race:

Analysts say it is a key step towards China’s aim of putting a man on the Moon by 2024, in the latest stage of an Asian space race with Japan and India.

Earlier this month, a Japanese lunar probe entered orbit around the Moon.

India is planning a lunar mission for April next year.

The more the merrier, I suppose (at least until there is an international conflict over some space-based resource…). At a minimum this should spur on general space exploration.