China plans to launch the Magpie Bridge II relay satellite in 2024, which will provide relay communication services for Chang'e missions 6, 7 and 8.

CTOnews.com, January 17 (Xinhua) according to the overall plan of the lunar exploration project, China will launch the Magpie Bridge II relay satellite in 2024 to provide relay communication services for the follow-up Chang'e missions 6, 7 and 8, according to CCTV news.

The Chang'e-6 probe, as a backup of the Chang'e-5 probe, plans to carry out a lunar sample collection mission on the far side of the moon from 2024 to 2025, said Wang Qiong, deputy chief designer of the Chang'e-6 mission.

According to reports, compared with the Chang'e 4 relay star "Magpie Bridge", the Magpie Bridge II relay star, which will be launched next year, will have a greater improvement in its overall level and capability, providing communication support for Chang'e-6 to carry out lunar sample collection missions on the far side of the moon.

CTOnews.com learned that the Chang'e-5 mission, launched in November 2020, achieved China's first unmanned sampling return to the moon, which is also the third step in China's lunar exploration project.

In addition, the Chang'e-6 mission is scheduled to be launched in Wenchang before 2025, and will carry out on-site investigation and analysis of the landing area on the far side of the moon, and systematic and long-term laboratory research on the samples. The Chang'e-7 mission is scheduled to launch before and after 2026, plans to carry out environmental and resource exploration at the South Pole of the moon, and lays the foundation for the construction of an international lunar research station.