The Long March 5 rocket carrying the Chang’e 5 lunar probe blasts off at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Wenchang, South China’s Hainan province.

About 36 minutes after the rocket’s launch, the China National Space Administration announced that the Chang’e 5 lunar probe had entered its designated orbit, marking the start of its journey to the moon.

Final examinations and tests on the rocket were completed on Nov. 17, a week before the official launch.

Residents flock to a beach to photograph the rocket’s launch.

The Long March-5 rocket, with the Chang’e-5 lunar probe on the top, gets transported to the launch pad at Wuchang Space Launch Center on Nov. 17.