China launches Queqiao-2 for lunar missions
Russia’s new heavy-lift rocket finally takes off
BEIJING, April 13, (Agencies): The Queqiao-2 satellite has recently completed in-orbit communication tests, with its platform and payloads working normally, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Friday.
The functions and performance of Queqiao-2 meet mission requirements, and it can provide relay communication services for the fourth phase of China’s lunar exploration project and future lunar exploration missions of China and other countries, said the CNSA, announcing the Queqiao-2 mission a complete success.
The satellite successfully completed a communication test on April 6 with Chang’e-4, which is now carrying out an exploration mission on the far side of the moon. From April 8 to 9, it conducted communication tests with the Chang’e-6 probe, which is yet to be launched.
Queqiao-2 was launched on March 20 and entered its target highly elliptical orbit on April 2 after midway correction, near-moon braking and orbital maneuver around the moon.
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MOSCOW: Russia on Thursday successfully test-launched a new heavylift rocket from its Far Eastern space complex, a lift-off that comes after two aborted attempts earlier this week.
The first attempt to launch the Angara-A5 rocket from the Vostochny spaceport on Tuesday was canceled about two minutes before the scheduled liftoff due to a failure of the pressurization system of the oxidizer tank in the central block of the rocket.
Thursday’s launch is the fourth for the Angara-A5, a heavy-lift version of the new Angara family of rockets that has been developed to replace the Soviet-designed Proton rockets.
The previous three launches were carried out from the Plesetsk launchpad in northwestern Russia.