Rocket carrying China's Queqiao-2 satellite transported to launchpad

A Long March-8 rocket carrying China's Queqiao-2 (Magpie Bridge-2) relay satellite has been vertically transported to its launchpad at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Sunday.

The Queqiao-2 relay satellite and the Long March-8 Y3 carrier rocket completed various preparations, such as assembly and testing, after arriving at the launch site in February.

The launch mission will be carried out after completing pre-launch work, including rocket functional checks, joint tests, and propellant filling.

The relay satellite, an upgraded version of the Queqiao satellite, will enable communication between China's lunar rover and the ground station, providing relay support for the Chang'e-6, Chang'e-7, and Chang'e-8 missions.

The Long March-8 carrier rocket, powered by green and environmentally friendly liquid propellant, is China's new generation of medium-lift rocket capable of sending spacecraft weighing 3 to 5 tonnes into sun-synchronous orbit.