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Space
Space
Science
Andrew Jones

China to launch communications relay satellite to the moon in early 2024

The crater-riddled far side of the moon, as seen by NASA's Orion spacecraft during the Artemis 1 mission in late 2022. China plans to launch a relay satellite in early 2024 to facilitate communications with spacecraft on the lunar far side.

China is preparing to launch a satellite to relay communications to and from the moon.

Queqiao 2 ("Magpie Bridge 2") will launch early next year and will be used to support China's upcoming Chang'e 6, 7 and 8 robotic lunar missions. 

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