China’s Lunar Missions: Recovering From an Initial Launch Issue

Two Chinese spacecraft, DRO-A and DRO-B, have apparently achieved their intended lunar orbits despite a launch issue that initially left them stranded in low Earth orbit. The DRO missions are part of a pilot project by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

A slide attributed to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU) under CAS, posted on the Tieba Baidu social networking platform, suggests the spacecraft have successfully entered distant retrograde orbits around the Moon. “[DRO] Satellites A, B, and L have been powered on and are operating stably in orbit, with their working status normal,” the slide states.

While not crucial to China’s immediate lunar plans, this recovery, if confirmed, would demonstrate the country’s growing capabilities in deep space and its ability to overcome in-orbit challenges. China has yet to provide an update on the mission since a brief report of a launch anomaly in March.

The DRO satellites are technology and orbit-testing spacecraft that could play a role in China’s broader lunar ambitions, including establishing lunar navigation and communications infrastructure to support lunar exploration.

The DRO-A and B satellites were launched on March 13, aiming for distant retrograde orbit, where spacecraft orbit the moon in the opposite direction of the moon’s rotation and at a considerable distance. The pair were intended to communicate with another satellite, named DRO-L, in low Earth orbit (LEO). DRO-L launched in February. The three-satellite system is designed to test high-precision relative navigation technology.

However, DRO-A and B were not inserted accurately into their designated orbit by the mission’s Long March 2C rocket, according to Xinhua reports following launch. This was attributed to an anomaly experienced by the Yuanzheng-1S upper stage.

China has not provided a formal update since that statement. However, the U.S. Space Force’s 18th Space Defense Squadron (18 SDS) has provided insights.

Data from 18 SDS initially confirmed an object associated with the launch in low Earth orbit (LEO). Later data indicated that operators were attempting to save the mission, using spacecraft propulsion to raise their orbit.

18 SDS later tracked the spacecraft in a 525 x 132,577-kilometer, highly-elliptical, high Earth orbit. It was later detected in a 971 x 225,193-km orbit on March 26.

While 18 SDS data for the object has not been updated since March, this could reinforce the idea that the DRO-A and B spacecraft changed its orbit, left highly-elliptical, high Earth orbit and achieved translunar orbit. 18 SDS tracking focuses on orbits much closer to Earth. The spacecraft would likely have separated from each other at some point after entering translunar orbit.

Having missed the precisely-calculated window for TLI when the upper stage failed, a new opportunity for reaching lunar orbit would have been determined. This would be based on their new orbits, the position of the moon and other factors.

The unintended use of spacecraft propellant to raise their orbits to reach the moon will, however, impact the amount of fuel available for its planned mission duration and objectives. The slide includes a diagram of a future spacecraft in low lunar orbit. This could focus on exploring the Earth-moon orbit environment, autonomous flight, and innovative scientific experiments and technology tests.

The resuscitation of the DRO-A/B mission raises concerns about openness as countries increase their interest in and operations around the moon.

“In my opinion there needs to be more transparency on launches beyond Earth orbit, including orbital data, consistent with the UN registration convention and UN Resolution 1721B,” Jonathan McDowell, a space activity tracker and astrophysicist, told SpaceNews.

That resolution, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1961, encourages international cooperation in the peaceful exploration of space and calls “upon States launching objects into orbit or beyond to furnish information promptly to the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, through the Secretary-General, for the registration of launchings.”

Both China and the United States are leading distinct multinational efforts to establish sustainable presences on the moon: the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) and the Artemis program, respectively.

In 2024 alone, there have been five missions to the moon: the Peregrine Mission One, Intuitive Machines’ IM-1, DRO-A/B, Queqiao-2, and Chang’e-6. The latter three are all Chinese missions. The Japanese SLIM lander also set down on the moon in January. Further U.S. and Japanese commercial missions could launch before the end of the year.

“The increasing activity in deep space requires improved situational awareness and international governance,” McDowell added.