China launched its first moon rover early Monday, state TV showed, in a milestone for its ambitious space programme and the world's third such mission after the United States and former Soviet Union. The Chang'e-3 rocket carrying the Jade Rabbit rover blasted off around 1:30 am (Sunday 0530 GMT) into the dark sky, the CCTV official broadcaster showed in live footage from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwest of the country.