China (Again) Shoots for the Moon. We Should Join Them.

Over the weekend, the Chinese government did something that has not been attempted in nearly 40 years: Launch a spacecraft for a soft landing to the Moon. On Dec. 1, 2013, the Chang'e 3 lander and rover launched successfully from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan, China. It's on a direct orbital insertion path, meaning it heads straight from Earth to the Moon (sometimes, long, looping paths are taken to utilize Earth's gravity for maneuvers to save fuel). It should enter lunar orbit...