
At 8:31 on March 20, the Long March 8 rocket carried the 1.2-ton Queqiao-2 (named after the mythical Magpie Bridge) and two microsatellites, Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2. The launch took place from the southern island province of Hainan.
After 24 minutes of rocket flight, the satellite rocket separated and sent the Queqiao-2 relay satellite directly into the predetermined Earth-moon transfer orbit with a perigee altitude of 200 kilometers and an apogee altitude of 420,000 kilometers. The launch mission was a complete success.
Subsequently, Queqiao-2, with ground control support, will undergo mid-course corrections to enter the capture orbit, ultimately transitioning to a 24-hour cycle lunar orbit, becoming the world’s second dedicated relay satellite beyond Earth’s orbit following in the footsteps of Queqiao, to facilitate lunar missions.
Due to the fact that the moon always has one side facing away from the Earth, landers on the far side of the moon are obstructed by the moon itself, preventing direct communication and data transmission with the Earth.
However, compared to the Queqiao relay satellite launched in 2018 along with the Chang’e 4 lunar lander, the Queqiao-2 relay satellite features more technological innovations, a higher technological state, enhanced functionality, more complex interfaces, greater development difficulty, and a longer mission timeframe.
Additionally, the Queqiao-2 carries multiple scientific payloads and will conduct scientific exploration. | Yu-Te Lee- BChannel News