China on Wednesday launched a satellite that will act as a communications bridge between ground operations on Earth and an upcoming mission on the far side of the moon, marking a new phase in the country's long-term lunar exploration programme.
Queqiao-2 satellite to serve upcoming Chang'e lunar missionsBEIJING, March 20 - China on Wednesday launched a satellite that will act as a communications bridge between ground operations on Earth and an upcoming mission on the far side of the moon, marking a new phase in the country's long-term lunar exploration programme.
Queqiao-2 will orbit the moon and relay signals to and from the Chang'e-6 mission, expected to be launched in May. The robotic Chang'e-6 mission will seek to retrieve samples from an ancient basin, acquiring lunar material from the moon's hidden side for the first time. Queqiao-2 will join half a dozen orbiters deployed by other countries, including the United States, India and Japan.
The satellite is expected to enter an orbit that passes close to the moon's south pole, where China will contruct its research outpost.
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