Qeqiao used a lunar swing-by transfer orbit with an apogee of about 400,000 kilometers from Earth. This transfer orbit usually needs 2 or 3 trajectory correction maneuvers (TCMs) and takes about 4 or 5 days to arrive at the Moon. On May 22, Queqiao made its first TCM, and that turned out to be the only one necessary.

On May 25, Queqiao performed another burn when it flew past the Moon at a distance of just 100 kilometers. This successfully put it on a Moon-L2 transfer orbit.

Stage 2: from the vicinity of the Moon to the vicinity of the Earth-Moon L2 point

Queqiao entered at the vicinity of the Earth-Moon L2 point four days later. It still needed to adjust its orbit many times to enter the L2 halo orbit required for its mission.

Stage 3: from the vicinity of the EM-L2 point to the mission halo orbit

On June 14, Queqiao finished its final adjustment burn and successfully entered the L2 halo mission orbit, which is about 65,000 kilometers from the Moon. This is the first-ever lunar relay satellite at this location.