China launches new relay satellite for Earth
Time:2024-05-17 16:17:35 Source:politicsViews(143)
A Long March-8 rocket, carrying the relay satellite Queqiao-2 for Earth-Moon communications blasts off at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province, March 20, 2024. [Photo/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.
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.
Previous:How Jeremy Clarkson, 64, won the title of the UK and Ireland's sexiest man
Next:US Navy flagship carrier USS Ronald Reagan leaves its Japan home port after nearly 9 years
You may also like
- Nashville SC fires coach Gary Smith after 3
- Wine to five! Dolly Parton 'planning to launch own range of alcoholic drinks'
- Venezuelan president warns against new threats from US
- The Suns built a superteam with Durant, Booker and Beal. It produced zero playoff wins
- Row breaks out over sex education ban for under
- Russia says Moscow terror attack suspects planned to flee to Kiev for reward
- 6G to be commercially available by about 2030: Experts
- Xi says China to cooperate with Micronesia on infrastructure, climate change
- Haiti's crisis rises to the forefront of elections in neighboring Dominican Republic