China launches new relay satellite for Earth
Release time：2024-05-21 09:43:13 Source：Planet Pages news portal
-
* China launched a new relay satellite on Wednesday to provide Earth-Moon communications services, a key step for its future lunar exploration missions such as retrieving samples from the far side of the moon and exploring the lunar south pole region. * The name of the satellite, Queqiao, embodies China's hope that the relay satellite could serve as a vital communication link between Earth-based controllers and the mysterious far side of the moon. * The deployment of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite is a key step for China's future lunar exploration missions including Chang'e-6, Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8. WENCHANG, Hainan, March 20 (Xinhua) -- China launched a new relay satellite on Wednesday to provide Earth-Moon communications services, a key step for its future lunar exploration missions such as retrieving samples from the far side of the moon and exploring the lunar south pole region. A Long March-8 rocket, carrying the satellite dubbed Queqiao-2, or magpie bridge-2, soared into the sky at 8:31 a.m. from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province. After 24 minutes of flight, the satellite separated from the rocket, and entered the planned Earth-Moon transfer orbit with the perigee at 200 kilometers and the apogee at 420,000 kilometers. The satellite's solar panels and communications antennae were unfolded, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). "Today's launch has laid a good foundation for the ensuing flight control of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite," said Ge Ping, deputy director of the CNSA's Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center. However, the successful launch is only the first step of the Queqiao-2 mission. A series of important maneuvers such as midway trajectory correction, decelerating near the moon and orbit adjustment will be carried out before Queqiao-2 enters its target elliptical orbit around the moon to become the world's second relay satellite deployed beyond Earth orbit. After that, communications tests will be carried out to determine whether the Queqiao-2 relay satellite has the ability to support the sample collection mission from the far side of the moon, Ge said. NEW BRIDGE OF COMMUNICATIONS According to a Chinese folktale, Zhi Nyu, the seventh daughter of the Goddess of Heaven, and her beloved husband, Niu Lang, a humble cowherd, found their love forbidden and were separated to opposite sides of the Milky Way. Moved by their plight, magpies intervened, creating the Queqiao bridge with their wings on the seventh night of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, allowing the couple to reunite for just one day each year. Hence, the name of the satellite, Queqiao, embodies China's hope that the relay satellite could serve as a vital communication link between Earth-based controllers and the mysterious far side of the moon. Since the moon's revolution cycle is the same as its rotation cycle, the same side always faces Earth. The other face, most of which cannot be seen from Earth, is called the far side or "dark side" of the moon. This term doesn't refer to darkness but rather to the mystery shrouding the moon's largely unexplored terrain. Due to its special environment and complex geological history, the far side of the moon stands as a prime destination for scientific and space exploration. In order to explore the moon's far side, China sent the first Queqiao relay satellite in 2018 to a halo orbit around the second Lagrangian (L2) point of the Earth-Moon system. Thanks to the communications support and data transmission from this relay satellite, China later successfully sent the Chang'e-4 probe to the Von Karman Crater in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, realizing the first-ever soft landing and roving on the far side of the moon at the beginning of 2019. Since the first Queqiao satellite has exceeded its designed lifespan, Queqiao-2 will take over the communications relay services for Chang'e-4, which is still operating on the moon's far side. Compared with the first Queqiao satellite, the new satellite launched on Wednesday boasts enhanced functionality, innovative features and intricate designs. It also carries multiple instruments for scientific exploration, the CNSA said. KEY STEP FOR FUTURE MOON MISSIONS The deployment of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite is a key step for China's future lunar exploration missions including Chang'e-6, Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8. The landing and sample collection sites of China's moon missions in the coming years are mainly in the lunar south pole region or on the far side of the moon. A more powerful relay satellite with more functions is necessary to provide communications and data transmission services for the missions, the CNSA said. Chang'e-6 is scheduled for launch in the first half of 2024, while Chang'e-7 will be launched around 2026, and Chang'e-8 around 2028. Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 will form the basic model of a lunar research station to carry out lunar environment exploration, according to the CNSA. In addition to China's missions, the Queqiao-2 relay satellite can also provide communications services for other country's lunar exploration missions, the CNSA said. "China has always attached great importance to international cooperation in the lunar exploration program. And many win-win results have been achieved in the previous lunar missions," Ge said. China has initiated the application process for researchers worldwide to study the lunar samples gathered by the Chang'e-5 mission, and also welcomes other countries to cooperate in China's future lunar and planetary exploration projects, Ge said. Together with Queqiao-2, two communications and navigation technology test satellites Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2 were also sent into space by the Long March-8 carrier rocket. With a total length of 50.3 meters, the rocket has two stages and two liquid boosters. This is the first time a Long March-8 carrier rocket has been used for a lunar exploration mission. "We have improved and optimized the design of the rocket for the mission to enhance its reliability," said Xu Shanshu, a chief designer for the rocket, from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Wednesday's launch was the 512th mission of the Long March rocket series.
（Editor:Wang Su）
- Previous：Candice Swanepoel stuns in a form
- Next：College baseball notebook: Conference tournaments to decide NCAA automatic bids and many at
Related articles
- Biden says Brown v. Board of Education ruling was about more than education
- Trump to meet with Polish president Duda as NATO leaders call for additional support for Ukraine
- People with disabilities sue in Wisconsin over lack of electronic absentee ballots
- Experts reveal the most stressful time of day... and how YOU can ease the pressure
- 'The Apprentice,' about a young Donald Trump, premieres in Cannes
- Bruins play
- Pulisic and McKennie face each other as rivals in Italy before joining forces again for US
- Sylvester Stallone breaks silence amid Tulsa King 'toxic workplace' scandal
- Strictly star Giovanni Pernice's former partner Rose Ayling
- China's political advisors discuss foundations of food security
- Kosovo prepares a new draft law on renting prison cells to Denmark after the first proposal failed
- Baseball legend Whitey Herzog
- Nicky Hilton shows off her chic style as she's joined by mini
- Urshela puts Detroit ahead in the 8th, Tigers hold on for 4
- Messi in and Dybala out in Argentina squad for pre
- New leader of Jesse Jackson's civil rights organization steps down just months on the job
- EU, G7 leaders urge preventing escalation in Mideast
- DeSantis signs bill limiting Florida book challenges
- Brazil replaces injured goalkeeper Ederson in Copa America squad
- UnitedHealth Group, Morgan Stanley rise; PNC Financial, Live Nation fall, Tuesday, 4/16/2024
Random recommendation
Panama's presidential frontrunner skips third and final debate ahead of May 5 electionNew BYU basketball coach Kevin Young focused on building NBA pipeline with CougarsDancing With The Stars pro Cheryl Burke CONFIRMS showmances with THREE of her celebrity partnersLawmakers vote down bill that would allow some Alabama death row inmates to be resentencedGeorge Soros drops $60 MILLION into Democrats' war chestKlay Thompson wants do decompress from season before delving into what's next as a free agentNorth Carolina sees slight surplus this year, $1B more next yearZoe Saldana and husband Marco Perego look stylish in classic allSpain's love swap! Former Man City star Ferran Torres' exNew Mexico voters can now sign up to receive absentee ballots permanently
- Copyright © 2024 Powered by China launches new relay satellite for Earth ,Planet Pages news portal sitemap