China launched a relay satellite on Monday aimed to establish a communication link between earth and a planned lunar probe, AP reported.
The satellite, named Queqiao (Magpie Bridge), lofted into space aboard a Long March-4C rocket, that blasted off at 05:28 from southwest China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Center, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
According to CNSA, the satellite was named Queqiao, or Magpie Bridge after an ancient Chinese folktale.
Image via spacetoday.com.br
According to CNSA, the satellite was named Queqiao or Magpie Bridge after an ancient Chinese folktale
. "The launch is a key step for China to realize its goal of being the first country to send a probe to soft-land on and rove the far side of the Moon," said Zhang Lihua, manager of the relay satellite project.
About 25 minutes after lift-off, the satellite separated from the rocket and entered an Earth-Moon transfer orbit with the perigee at 200 km and the apogee at about 400,000 km. The solar panels and the communication antennas were unfolded.
Image credit: spacetoday.com.br
Queqiao was expected to enter a halo orbit around the second Lagrangian (L2) point of the Earth-Moon system, about 455,000 km from the Earth making it the world's first communication satellite operating in that orbit. But the mission must overcome many challenges, including multiple adjustments to its orbit and braking near the Moon and taking advantage of the lunar gravity, Zhang said.
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Chinese scientists and engineers hope the Queqiao satellite will form a communication bridge between controllers on Earth and the far side of the Moon where the Chang'e-4 lunar probe is expected to touch down later this year.
China previously landed its Jade Rabbit rover on the moon and plans to land its Change 5 probes there next year and have it return to Earth with samples. Monday's launch was the 275th mission of the Long March rocket series.
You may watch the full video of the launch by CGTN below:
The communist nation plans to catch up with the United States to become a major space power by 2030 while accentuating that its ambitions are peaceful. However, these claims have been refuted by the Trump administration who have accused China of pursuing secret activities aimed at preventing other nations from using space-based assets during a crisis.
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