The orbiter-returner combination of China's Chang'e-5 probe on Saturday completed an orbital maneuver as it prepares to leave the lunar orbit for a trajectory that returns it to earth, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). 

After six days of waiting in the lunar orbit, the combination carrying the lunar samples conducted the maneuver at 9:54 a.m. Beijing Time on Saturday, transferring to an elliptical orbit with a perilune altitude of about 200km, said CNSA.

The maneuver is aimed at entering the moon-Earth transfer orbit.

A second such attempt will be carried out in the following days to escape the moon's gravity and enter the trajectory to return to Earth.