Probe enters lunar orbit in preparation for landing

China's Chang'e 4 robotic probe has approached the moon and entered lunar orbit, marking a major step in its mission to make a soft landing on the moon's far side.

The China National Space Administration said in a statement on Wednesday that Chang'e 4 entered an elliptical lunar orbit at least 100 kilometers above the surface at 4:45 pm on Wednesday after nearly 110 hours of flight. It lifted off early on Saturday.

The trajectory of the spacecraft was adjusted on Sunday to make sure it remains on the right track toward the silver sphere. It will remain in orbit for few days to adjust further to a suitable altitude and angle for its landing and also to perform in-orbit tests of the navigation sensors. It will also test its data links with the relay satellite, Queqiao, the statement said.