China’s lunar exploration mission, relay satellite has successfully braked near the Moon, completing a vital step before entering the desired orbit, space officials said on Saturday.
Queqiao, the 400-kg satellite which has three years life duration, was launched on Monday to activate a rover to communicate with the Earth from the Moon’s mysterious far side, as part of the Communist giant’s ambitious goal of being the first country to send such a probe.
It braked 100 km above the surface of the Moon in line with directions from a ground control centre in Beijing, and then entered a transfer orbit from the moon to the second Lagrangian (L2) point of the Earth-Moon system, the China National Space Administration reported.
“There was only a short window for the braking. And Queqiao had only one chance due to limited fuel,” Zhang Lihua, project manager of the mission was quoted.
The relay satellite was launched on Monday to set up a communication link between the Earth and the planned Chang’e-4 lunar probe that will explore the Moon’s mysterious far side.
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The satellite is anticipated to adjust orbit several times before it reaches a halo orbit around the L2 point, about 455,000 km from the Earth.
It will be the world’s first communication satellite operating in that orbit, the report said.
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