On Wednesday, China achieved a significant milestone in its lunar exploration program by launching a satellite designed to facilitate communication between ground operations on Earth and an upcoming mission on the far side of the moon.

According to state media reports, a Long March 8 rocket carrying the 1.2-metric ton Queqiao-2 satellite, named after a mythological bridge made of magpies, along with two miniature satellites, Tiandu-1 and -2, lifted off from the southern island province of Hainan.

Unlike the moon’s near side, which always faces Earth, there is no direct line of sight for data transfers from the far side, Reuters reported.

Queqiao-2 is slated to orbit the moon, serving as a crucial link for relaying signals to and from the Chang’e-6 mission, which is anticipated to launch in May.

The robotic Chang’e-6 mission aims to retrieve samples from an ancient basin, marking the first-ever collection of lunar material from the moon’s hidden side.

Written by B.C. Begley