According to the China National Space Administration, Chang'e 4's landing procedure started at 10:15 am, when it began its descent from an orbit 15 kilometers above the surface, following control signals from the Beijing Aerospace Control Center transmitted through China's Queqiao relay satellite. 

The probe made position adjustments when it reached 6 to 8 kilometers above the moon. The descent then paused at about 100 meters above the surface as the spacecraft analyzed the gradient of the preset landing site as well as any possible obstacles in order to avoid hazards. 

After an exact landing area was determined, Chang'e 4 resumed its descent at a slow velocity and finally touched down, the administration said in a statement. 

Shortly afterward, the probe unfolded its solar arrays and antennas and established a high-speed data link through Queqiao, it said. 

Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar program, said in Beijing on Thursday after the landing that the descent and landing "were perfect".