鹊桥
The original Queqiao relay satellite that supported Chang’e-4 remains operational in a halo orbit around the Earth–Moon Lagrange point L2 at roughly 70,0 m beyond the Moon.
Queqiao-2 will shift its orbit into a 12-hour period to support the 2026 Chang’e-7 mission and later Chang’e-8 missions.
Queqiao-2 is intended to support China’s Chang’e-6 lunar far side sample return mission in May 2025 and to provide communications for far side operations.
Queqiao-2, also called Magpie Bridge-2, is a more capable follow-up to the original Queqiao relay satellite launched in 2018.
Queqiao-2 launched on a Long March 8 rocket from the Wenchang spaceport on March 19, 2025.
Queqiao-2 will host an Earth–Moon baseline very long baseline interferometry experiment that will utilize its large antenna.
Queqiao-2’s initial orbit is specially designed to support the Chang’e-6 lunar far side sample return mission, due to launch in May.
Queqiao-2 is also known as Magpie Bridge-2 and is a more capable follow-up to the original Queqiao relay satellite launched in 2018.
Queqiao-2 carries science payloads for the 2026 Chang’e-7 mission including an extreme ultraviolet camera, an array neutral atom imager, and an Earth–moon baseline very long baseline interferometry experiment.
Queqiao-2 is intended to support China’s future lunar exploration and serve as a stepping stone towards building a lunar base in the 2030s.
Queqiao-2 will later alter its orbital period to better support the Chang’e-7 and Chang’e-8 missions to the lunar south pole later in the decade.
China launched the Queqiao-2 relay satellite on a Long March 8 rocket from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center at 8:31 p.m. Eastern on 2024-03-19 (0031 UTC March 20).
Queqiao-2 deployed its solar arrays and entered a predetermined orbit with a perigee of 200 km and an apogee of 420,0 m.
Queqiao-2 will use S-band and Ka-band frequencies for communications with Earth.
Queqiao-2 is intended to support the Chang’e-6, Chang’e-7, and Chang’e-8 missions to the lunar south pole.
Queqiao-2 is required to support Chang’e-6’s collection of far side samples.
Queqiao-2 will reach an apolune of approximately 8,600 km from the moon.
Queqiao-2 carries payloads for the science objectives of the 2026 Chang’e-7 mission including an extreme ultraviolet camera, an energetic neutral atom imager, and an Earth–Moon baseline very long baseline interferometry experiment.
Queqiao-2 will use X-band and UHF bands to communicate with Chang’e spacecraft.
The Long March 8 rocket will launch Queqiao-2 toward the moon in preparation for the Chang’e-6 lunar far side sample return mission in May.