The service module of China’s unmanned test lunar orbiter began orbiting the moon on Tuesday, state-run Xinhua news reported.
The service module is currently flying in a 127-minute orbit at an altitude of 200 km above the moon’s surface.
The module completed three circles around the second Lagrange point, or earth-moon L2, and left for lunar orbit on January 4.
The module is collecting data for China’s Chang’e-5 lunar mission to be launched in 2017.
Chang’e-5 is expected to make a soft landing on the moon and collect at least 2 kg of rock and soil samples. If the mission succeeds, China would become the third country to complete such a mission after the United States and Russia.
China is reportedly looking to mine the moon for helium-3, a rare helium isotope that could be used to power clean fusion plants, according to a report in the International Business Times.
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