China on Wednesday initiated the launch of a satellite aimed at serving as a crucial communications link between ground operations on Earth and an upcoming mission on the far side of the moon
State media reported that a Long March 8 rocket, carrying the 1.2-metric ton Queqiao-2 satellite, named after a mythological bridge formed of magpies, along with two miniature satellites, Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2, lifted off from the southern island province of Hainan.
Due to the moon’s near side always facing Earth, direct data transfers from the far side have been impossible. Queqiao-2 is designed to orbit the moon, facilitating signal relay to and from the Chang’e-6 mission, slated for launch in May. This robotic mission aims to collect samples from an ancient basin on the moon’s hidden side, marking the first endeavor of its kind.
Furthermore, Queqiao-2 will serve as a relay platform for future lunar missions, including Chang’e-7 in 2026 and Chang’e-8 in 2028. By 2040, it will be part of a network of relay satellites supporting crewed lunar missions and exploration missions to other celestial bodies like Mars and Venus.
The Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2 miniature satellites will conduct tests for constructing a constellation, which will provide communications, navigation, and remote sensing support for China’s planned research station at the moon’s south pole.
Queqiao-2’s orbit will be elliptical, reaching up to 8,600 km above the lunar surface, enabling communication between Earth and the moon for over eight hours. It will replace Queqiao-1, launched in 2018, which supported the Chang’e-4 mission, the first to perform a soft landing on the far side of the moon in 2019, deploying the Yutu-2 rover, which remains operational to this day.
