China's Lunar Relay Satellite is Ready for Action!

In an exciting leap for space exploration, China's Queqiao-2 relay satellite is fully operational and geared to support lunar missions from around the world! Launched in March 2023, this cutting-edge satellite has already made waves by assisting China's Chang'e-6 mission that successfully retrieved samples from the moon's far side.

Equipped for Success: The Advanced Technology Behind Queqiao-2

Known as Magpie Bridge 2, Queqiao-2 boasts three sophisticated scientific payloads: an extreme ultraviolet camera, a two-dimensional-coded energetic neutral atom imager, and a very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) experiment system. These tools enable the satellite to conduct groundbreaking experiments and relay vital communication between Earth and lunar missions.

14 Months in Orbit and Counting!

Since its launch, Queqiao-2 has been performing flawlessly in orbit for 14 months. It has already captured the first 83.4-nanometer image of the global ionosphere, shedding light on how solar activity affects Earth's plasmasphere. Additionally, its VLBI system has successfully observed distant astronomical phenomena by extending the observation baseline to an impressive 380,000 kilometers.

A Bright Future: Supporting Upcoming Lunar Missions!

Queqiao-2 is not just a part of China's past missions; it's also pivotal for the future. It is set to play a crucial role in the upcoming Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 missions. Slated for around 2026, the Chang'e-7 mission aims to explore the moon's south pole for environmental and resource studies, while Chang'e-8, targeted for around 2028, will experiment with in-situ utilization of lunar resources.

Global Collaboration for Lunar Exploration!

As a relay for lunar missions from all nations, Queqiao-2 signifies a new era of international collaboration in space exploration. This satellite not only embodies China's advancements in technology but also opens the door for countries worldwide to participate in the quest for lunar discovery and research.