South Korean spacecraft launched to the moon, country's 1st

South Korea joined the stampede to the moon with the launch of a lunar orbiter that will scout out future landing spots.
The satellite launched by SpaceX is taking a long, roundabout path to conserve fuel and will arrive in December. If successful, it will join spacecraft from the U.S. and India already operating around the moon, and a Chinese rover exploring the moon’s far side. South Korea’s $180 million mission - the country’s first step in lunar exploration - features a boxy, solar-powered satellite designed to skim just 62 miles above the lunar surface.