China's Queqiao-2 Satellite Ready for Global Lunar Mission Support

First launched in March 2024, Queqiao-2, also known as Magpie Bridge 2, played a critical role in the Chang'e 6 mission, which successfully retrieved samples from the far side of the moon. The satellite has been in stable operation for 14 months, conducting scientific observations and providing crucial communication support for Earth-moon missions.

Equipped with three advanced scientific payloads, Queqiao-2 features an extreme ultraviolet camera, a two-dimensional-coded energetic neutral atom-imager, and an Earth-moon very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) experiment system. These systems have enabled groundbreaking research, including the capture of the first global 83.4-nanometer ionosphere image, essential for understanding solar impacts on the plasmasphere.

The satellite's VLBI system, when used in tandem with the Shanghai 65m Radio Telescope, has extended observation capabilities to 380,000 kilometers, allowing precise measurements of deep-space targets such as radio source A00235 and the Chang'e 6 orbiter.

Queqiao-2 is expected to play a critical role in China's upcoming Chang'e 7 and Chang'e 8 missions. The Chang'e 7 mission, planned for 2026, aims to study the environment and resources at the moon's south pole, while the Chang'e 8 mission, expected around 2028, will focus on in-situ resource utilization experiments to support future lunar bases.