Update from ESOC: We picked up signals from Chang’E-3 via Kourou station a bit earlier than planned, at 19:34:20 CET. Our Chinese colleagues confirm the mission is progressing extremely well, and in fact BACC mission control centre has just informed ESOC that the our network tracking support for today has been downgraded to ‘shadow’ tracking only. In other words, they are getting excellent contact via several other stations and don’t need our Kourou station (for now).

ESA’s Kourou station is set again provide tracking support during the lunar cruise phase, starting again on 4 December, running through 5, 6 and 7 December.