China's relay satellite Queqiao-2 enters orbit around the moon

BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- China's relay satellite Queqiao-2 has successfully performed the near-moon braking procedure and entered its circumlunar orbit, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Monday.

After about 112 hours of flight, the satellite began to perform near-moon braking at a distance of about 440 km from the lunar surface at 12:46 a.m. (Beijing Time) on Monday and entered its circumlunar orbit smoothly 19 minutes later, said the CNSA.

By adjusting the altitude and inclination of the circumlunar orbit, Queqiao-2 will enter its target elliptical orbit around the moon, and carry out the communications test with the lunar probes Chang'e-4 and Chang'e-6 as planned.