China’s Chang’e 4 probe entered a planned orbit on Sunday morning to prepare for the first soft landing on the far side of the moon, the China National Space Administration announced.

中国国家航天局宣布，嫦娥四号探测器于周日上午进入预定轨道，为月球背面首次软着陆做好准备。

The probe entered an elliptical lunar orbit, ranging from 15 kilometers above the lunar surface to about 100 km, at 8:55 am, the administration said.

国家航天局说，嫦娥四号探测器于上午8点55分进入环月椭圆形轨道，在月球表面上方15公里到100公里之间运行。

Since the Chang’e 4 entered lunar orbit on Dec 12, the ground control center in Beijing has trimmed the probe’s orbit twice and tested the communication link between the probe and the relay satellite Queqiao (or Magpie¹ Bridge), which is operating in a halo orbit around the second Lagrangian (L2) point-a point of equilibrium-of the Earthmoon system.

自12月12日嫦娥四号探测器成功实施近月制动进入环月轨道以来，北京地面控制中心进行了2次环月轨道修正，与“鹊桥”中继星进行了多次中继链路测试，达到了绕第二拉格朗日点地月系统的平衡。

The space engineers also checked the imaging instruments and range detectors² on the probe to prepare for the landing.

航天工程师在轨测试了激光测距、三维成像等导航敏感器，为探测器实施月球背面软着陆做好准备。

The control center will choose the precise time to land the probe, the administration said.

控制中心人员表示，将择机选择探测器着陆时间。