Polaris Intelligence
Polaris
Intelligence
About
Ctrl K
Sign in
© Polaris Intelligence 2026
PrivacyTermsAdmin

Queqiao

retired

鹊桥

Science ExplorationcislunarCOSPAR 2018-045ALaunched 5/20/2018
Admin Edit
Mission & Launch
Launch Mission
Queqiao Mission
Launch Vehicle
Long March 4C
Launch Date
5/20/2018
Last Contact
3/22/2024
Orbit & Mass
Orbit Class
cislunar
Altitude
191,751.5 km
Inclination
27.5 deg
Dry Mass
325 kg
Total Mass
425 kg
Payload Classification
Mission Type
Science Exploration
Payload Category
PLAN
Payload Class
C
Organizations
Operator
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC)
Manufacturer
China Academy of Space Technology (CAST)
Registry
COSPAR ID
2018-045A
UN Registration
ST/SG/SER.E/856
Track
Mentions
140
All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.
0.0-5.0
Actions

Queqiao-2 will also serve the Chang’e-7 and Chang’e-8 missions to the lunar south pole.

PlanValue 4.0Jan 18, 2023China to launch relay satellite next year to support moon landing missions

Queqiao was launched in May 2018 and serves a communications relay role that enabled the Chang’e-4 lander and rover to operate on the far side of the moon.

Capability
Page7of7
General
Value 4.0
Jul 26, 2021
China is working on a relay satellite to support lunar polar missions

A 2018 International Astronautical Congress paper proposed sending Queqiao to the Earth–Moon L4 or L5 points after its primary mission to perform survey tasks.

PlanGeneralValue 3.0Dec 21, 2020Chang’e-5 orbiter embarks on extended mission to Sun-Earth Lagrange point

A relay satellite will support the Chang’e-7 mission and the relay could be an uprated version of the Queqiao relay satellite used for Chang’e-4.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Aug 5, 2020China is moving ahead with lunar south pole and near-Earth asteroid missions

NCLE was launched on the Chinese satellite QueQiao, which is located about 450,000 kilometers away from Earth.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.4Nov 26, 2019Dutch antennas deployed behind the moon

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) controls a lander and rover on the far side of the Moon with the QueQiao satellite.

CapabilityRelationshipsValue 4.0Nov 26, 2019Dutch antennas deployed behind the moon

Longjiang-2 (DSLWP-B) is a 47-kilogram microsatellite launched in May 2018 alongside the Queqiao relay satellite for the Chang’e-4 lunar far side mission.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.0Jul 12, 2019China set to carry out controlled deorbiting of Tiangong-2 space lab

A Long March 4C launched the Queqiao relay satellite in 2018-05-01, which was a necessary precursor to the Chang’e-4 lunar far side landing on 2019-01-02.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0May 23, 2019China suffers Long March 4 failure

Queqiao launched in May 2018 to the Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 2.

PlanValue 4.0Feb 11, 2019Chang’e-4 powers down for second lunar night

The Chang’e-4 mission component Longjiang-2 is a 45-kilogram microsatellite that launched with Queqiao and operates in an elliptical lunar orbit.

CapabilityValue 5.0Feb 11, 2019Chang’e-4 powers down for second lunar night

Queqiao provides line-of-sight communications between Chang’e-4 and Chinese ground stations at Kashi and Jiamusi as well as ground stations in Namibia and Argentina.

CapabilityValue 4.0Dec 7, 2018China launches Chang’e-4 spacecraft for pioneering lunar far side landing mission

Queqiao is a relay satellite launched in May 2018 and inserted into a halo orbit around the Earth–Moon L2 point in June 2018 to facilitate communications with Chang’e-4.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.0Dec 7, 2018China launches Chang’e-4 spacecraft for pioneering lunar far side landing mission

The Queqiao relay satellite, equipped with a 4.2-meter parabolic antenna, was launched from Xichang on 2018-05-20 and entered a Lissajous orbit beyond the moon around the Earth–moon Lagrange point 2 on 2018-06-14.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.4Nov 19, 2018China’s latest Beidou satellite launch clears way for Chang’e-4 lunar far side mission

The relay satellite Queqiao was functioning in position and allowed China to proceed with the planned December 2018 launch of Chang’e-4.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Aug 15, 2018Pioneering Chang’e-4 lunar far side landing mission to launch in December

Queqiao is a relay satellite with a 4.2‑meter parabolic antenna launched 2018-05-20, from Xichang.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.0Aug 15, 2018Pioneering Chang’e-4 lunar far side landing mission to launch in December

The Queqiao relay satellite was launched to the Earth–Moon L2 Lagrange point in May 2018 to facilitate communications for the Chang’e-4 mission.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Jul 31, 2018China completes 22nd launch this year with Gaofen-11, matches national record

Two 47-kilogram microsatellites developed by the Harbin Institute of Technology were launched alongside Queqiao and were intended for lunar orbit.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.0Jun 14, 2018Chang’e-4 relay satellite enters halo orbit around Earth-Moon L2, microsatellite in lunar orbit

Queqiao will use a 4.2-meter parabolic antenna to relay telecommands from the ground to the Chang’e-4 spacecraft and to transmit data and telemetry back to Earth via S-band while using X-band to communicate with the lander and rover.

CapabilityValue 5.0Jun 14, 2018Chang’e-4 relay satellite enters halo orbit around Earth-Moon L2, microsatellite in lunar orbit

Queqiao will use X-band to communicate with the Chang’e-4 lander and rover on the lunar far side.

CapabilityValue 4.0May 14, 2018China preparing to launch Chang’e-4 relay satellite May 21

China planned to launch the Queqiao communications relay satellite to support the Chang’e-4 lunar far side mission in late 2018.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0May 3, 2018Long March rocket launches Apstar-6C communications satellite from China