China launched its Queqiao-2 relay satellite to support upcoming lunar far side and south polar missions.

Science and Technology

China launched its Queqiao-2 relay satellite to support upcoming lunar far side and south polar missions. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed the Queqiao-2 satellite was on a trajectory towards the moon around 40 minutes after launch. Queqiao-2 had deployed its solar arrays and was in its predetermined orbit with a perigee of 200 kilometers and an apogee of 420,000 kilometers. The 1,200-kilogram satellite carries a 4.2-meter parabolic antenna and is part of China’s plans for future lunar exploration and a stepping stone towards building a lunar base in the 2030s.


      Queqiao-2, or “Magpie Bridge-2”, is a more capable follow-up to Queqiao, launched in 2018.

     

     

 

     


China

Capital- Beijing
President- Xi Jinping
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