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.
I'm jealous of my husband's dead ex
Dermot Mulroney reveals he didn't work for a YEAR after My Best Friend's Wedding
Sale, Ozuna lead Braves past Guardians 6
Jordan stations 2 firefighting helicopters in Cyprus to help as summer fire season arrives
Moody Blues keyboard player Mike Pinder dies aged 82
Orioles send former No. 1 pick Jackson Holliday back to minors after he hit .059 in 10 MLB games
1 climber dead, another seriously hurt after 1,000
Polish prosecutors open investigation after judge flees to autocratic Belarus
J.D. Martinez makes his Mets debut after he was sidelined by back issues