Tiandu

Tiandu
Mission typeTechnology demonstration
OperatorDeep Space Exploration Laboratory
CNSA
Mission duration7 months, 30 days (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftTiandu
ManufacturerDeep Space Exploration Laboratory
Start of mission
Launch date20 March 2024, 00:31 UTC[1]
RocketLong March 8[2]
Launch siteWenchang Space Launch Site LC-2[3]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemSelenocentric elliptic orbit
Lunar orbiter
Orbital insertion24 March 2024, 17:43 UTC[4]

Tiandu satellites are a pair of Chinese Lunar Exploration Program's lunar navigation and communications test satellites based on Queqiao-2 relay satellite technology.[5][6][7][8]

  1. ^ "China launches Queqiao-2 relay satellite to support moon missions". Space.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  2. ^ "China launches Queqiao-2 relay satellite to support moon missions". Space.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  3. ^ "China launches Queqiao-2 relay satellite to support moon missions". Space.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  4. ^ Jones, Andrew (2024-03-25). "China's Queqiao-2 relay satellite enters lunar orbit". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  5. ^ "Tiandu 1, 2". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Andrew Jones (2023-05-09). "China to launch communications relay satellite to the moon in early 2024". Space.com. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  8. ^ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2024-03-23.