Transponder satellite for China's lunar programme completes orbital testing

China's Queqiao-2 relay satellite, designed to provide communication between the back side of the Moon and the Earth, has successfully completed communication tests in orbit, as reported Xinhua News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS.

The functions and performance characteristics of Queqiao-2 meet the requirements of the developers, the apparatus is ready to relay communications both for the current, fourth stage of China's lunar exploration programme and for subsequent lunar missions.

In early April, experts tested the communication of "Queqiao-2" with the lunar probe "Chang'e-4", which is currently carrying out a research mission on the back side of the Moon.

The satellite was launched on March 20 this year and entered the target highly elliptical orbit on April 2 after completing a halfway adjustment, a near-lunar deceleration procedure and an orbital manoeuvre around the moon.

The PRC is actively developing its national space programme, launching meteorological, telecommunications and navigation satellites. A Chinese space station orbits the Earth.