China's Queqiao-2 Satellite: Pioneering Lunar Communication Breakthrough
China successfully launches Queqiao-2 satellite for lunar exploration program. Queqiao-2 will act as a communications bridge between Earth and the far side of the moon. The satellite will support the upcoming Chang'e-6 mission and future lunar missions.
China has taken a significant step forward in its lunar exploration program with the successful launch of a satellite that will serve as a communications bridge between Earth and an upcoming mission on the far side of the moon. The satellite, named Queqiao-2, was launched on Wednesday aboard a Long March 8 rocket from the southern island province of Hainan.
The main objective of Queqiao-2 is to establish a communication link between ground operations on Earth and the Chang'e-6 mission, which is expected to be launched in May. This mission aims to retrieve samples from an ancient basin on the moon's hidden side, a feat that has never been accomplished before.
One of the challenges of exploring the far side of the moon is the lack of direct line of sight for data transfers. The moon's near side always faces Earth, making it impossible to establish a direct communication link. Queqiao-2 will orbit the moon and act as a relay station, transmitting signals to and from the Chang'e-6 mission.
But the significance of Queqiao-2 goes beyond just one mission. It will also play a crucial role in future lunar exploration endeavors. The satellite is designed to be part of a constellation of relay satellites by 2040, serving as a communications bridge for crewed lunar missions and even exploration on other planets like Mars and Venus.
In addition to its communication capabilities, Queqiao-2 will also be joined by two miniature satellites, Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2. These satellites will conduct tests for the construction of a constellation and provide support for China's research station planned for the moon's south pole. The constellation will offer communication, navigation, and remote sensing capabilities.
Queqiao-2's orbit will be highly elliptical, reaching as high as 8,600 km above the moon's surface. This will enable a communication link between Earth and the moon for more than eight hours during its roughly 12-hour orbit. Its designer, Zhang Lihua, explained in a 2021 article that this orbit will allow Queqiao-2 to support lunar missions beyond 2030.
The launch of Queqiao-2 marks a significant milestone for China's lunar exploration program. It follows the success of the Chang'e-4 mission in 2019, which was the first spacecraft to perform a soft landing on the far side of the moon. With Queqiao-2 in place, China is poised to continue pushing the boundaries of lunar exploration and pave the way for future missions and scientific discoveries.
China successfully launches Queqiao-2 satellite for lunar exploration program
Queqiao-2 will act as a communications bridge between Earth and the far side of the moon
The satellite will support the upcoming Chang'e-6 mission and future lunar missions
Source: REUTERS