Because the moon's body blocks direct radio communication with a probe, China first had to put a satellite in orbit above the moon in a spot where it could send signals to the spacecraft and to Earth.
The idea of inflatable spacecraft is not new. The Echo I - NASA's first communication satellite - was essentially 100-foot-wide Mylar balloon that reflected radio transmissions from the ground.
The growing distance between the spacecraft and Earth will make communication increasingly difficult. Still, Tsuda's team hopes to be able to operate the vehicle and collect data for at least a year.