China launches a relay satellite into space for future moon missions
- March 20, 2024
- 0
China has launched a new relay satellite to enable communications between the Earth and the Moon, and it is believed to be key to future missions to explore
China has launched a new relay satellite to enable communications between the Earth and the Moon, and it is believed to be key to future missions to explore the natural satellite.
Xinhua reported this, as reported by Ukrinform.
The Long March-8 launch vehicle, which includes the “Queqiao-2” satellite (Queqiao-2 is translated from the Chinese “Magpie Bridge-2”), was launched from the Wenchang Cosmodrome in the southern province of Hainan at 8:31 a.m. local time (2:31 near Kiev ).
After 24 minutes of flight, the spacecraft separated from the rocket and entered the planned transit orbit in normal mode.
The satellite is planned to provide communication with the Earth for the Chang’e-6, Chang’e-7 and Chang’e-8 lunar missions that China plans to launch within the scope of its own lunar program.
The first mission will deliver soil samples from the Moon’s South Pole to Earth, the second will send 23 scientific instruments to Earth’s moon, and the third will explore the technical possibility of building a permanent base on the Moon.
The far side of the Moon is always out of sight and out of direct communication with Earth, so signal transmission is needed to conduct research there.
As reported by Ukrinform, Japanese private company Takasago Thermal Engineering has developed a water electrolyzer that can produce hydrogen and oxygen on the lunar surface.
Photo: “Xinhua”
Source: Ukrinform
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