The Queqiao 2 relay satellite will provide communications to spacecraft on the far side of the Moon
According to information from the National Space Administration of China, a relay satellite for the upcoming Chang'e 6 lunar mission and other lunar exploration programs is planned to be launched in the near future. The combination of the Queqiao 2 relay satellite and the Long March 8 launch vehicle was delivered to the launch tower of the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan Province on Sunday morning.
The satellite and rocket were delivered in February to the Wenchang center, where they were inspected and assembled. The rocket will still undergo final checks before being loaded with fuel, the National Space Administration said.
Predecessor to Queqiao 1 – Queqiao 2 was launched into orbit by a Long March 4C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province in May 2018. It currently serves as a relay platform for the Chang'e 4.
lunar mission
Chang'e 4 landed in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the Moon in January 2019 and became the first spacecraft to operate in this hemisphere.
If everything goes according to plan, then the probe «Chang'e-6» will become the second spacecraft to reach the far side of the Moon. Its mission is to deliver samples from the far side of the Moon — a complex and never-before-implemented task.
To ensure communication between the Chang'e 4 and Chang'e 6 spacecraft with the Earth, relay satellites are required due to their special location. Transmitting these signals is the main task of Queqiao 1 and Queqiao 2.
Space technology expert Pan Zhihao, who worked for many years at the Chinese Academy of Space Technology, said that the fact that Queqiao 2 was transported by the Long March 8 rocket indicates that this relay satellite is larger and heavier than its counterpart. predecessor.
«Queqiao 2 has been designed with more features and a longer service life in mind. It will be the key to China's next few lunar missions, — he said.
Chang'e 6 will consist of four components – orbiter, lander, ascent vehicle and lander. In addition to sample collection instruments, the module will carry scientific instruments from Pakistan, France, Italy and the European Space Agency, according to mission organizers.