This weekend , the China National Space Administration ( 国家航天局 , or CNSA ) bring down itsChang’e-3 landeron the Moon , deploy the Yutu rover on a 3 - month mission to search the dark lava plain ofBay of Rainbows , nor'-east of Mare Imbrium . It will also leave a sinewy telescope behind , to watch the stars .
https://gizmodo.com/chinas-change-3-rocket-launch-is-one-of-the-sexiest-y-1474782565
Here ’s the realm where Yutu has landed , in a screenshot from LunarMap HD ( flick to embiggen ) . Bay of Rainbows is called by its Latin name Sinus Iridum in most lunar maps .
Yutu , similar to rovers like Curiosity on Mars , is the first robotic observer to be deployed on the Moon in rough 3 decades — and it ’s a first for China , which has now taken the next whole step on its way into the Space Age . CNSA will be partake all the data point it gathers with scientists in other nations . This is truly a sentence to put aside national interests , and celebrate the international achievements of scientist and explorers working together to make Modern discoveries in space .
Hereyou can see the bird of passage being lour to the lunar regolithvia the “ transferral ” mechanism , AKA the super awesome Chang’e lander ’s lift .
Then Yuturolled down the ramp , and finally rolled onto the lunar airfoil , with all six wheels taking the fomite onward and into humanity ’s first rover risky venture on our planet since the mid - twentieth century . ( Gifs viaPlanetary Society )
There ’s a very futuristic grounds to research the Bay of Rainbows , aside from the fact that it ’s a notable feature article of dark piece on the Moon seeable from Earth . It ’s a region of ancient lava period , from a time when the Moon was full of active volcanoes . Many of these lava flows have left long , deep tunnel beneath the control surface of the Moon — just as lava leaves tunnels behind on Earth , too . Theselava tunnels are predicted to be region where humankind might begin construct Moon colonies , because being hush-hush is a good means buckler lunar inhabitants from the radiation bombarding the Moon ’s surface from outer space .
https://gizmodo.com/behold-the-incredible-places-where-well-build-cities-in-884807373
Ouyang Ziyuan , one of the chief scientists on the Chang’e-3 charge , enjoin in an interview :
The Chang’e 3 mission will reach three “ firsts ” . turn one : space observation from the moon . This is the dream of many astronomers because standard atmosphere , hint , nose candy and pollution do n’t obstruct profile as they do on earth . The result is also better because of the longer full stop of continuous observation from the moonshine due to it orbiting the earth . One day of observation on the lunar month is equivalent to 14 Clarence Day on terra firma . Number two : we have an ultraviolet television camera on the lander to monitor the earth . This television camera is dissimilar from the one used by America ’s Apollo 16 . Ours can see the formation of the earth ’s plasmasphere and its density alteration . It ’s better than a orbiter , which can only memorialise data section by discussion section as it revolve around the earth . On the moon it can observe half of earth at a clip without moving . This is something hoi polloi have always desire to do . Number three : we will be the first to read the structure and stratum of the moon 100 meters below its surface with radars set up at the bottom of the bird of passage . As the bird of passage drives on the lunar surface , it will be as it can cut and see what ’s 100 meter below . These three highlights are what no other country have done so far .
Yutu will pass three months ( about 3 lunar days ) exploring a 3 - km region , and it has theability to see 100 meters undergroundwith ground - penetrating radio detection and ranging . This will aid scientists read the body structure of the lunar regolith and perhaps find lava tunnel that might be beneficial settlement areas . It also has a mass spectrometer to analyze the chemic report of the regolith and rocks . Yutu will also be sending high - definition images , let in cyclorama , back to Earth .
The Chang’e lander has its own , one - yr , missionary station . It has powerful , HD scientific discipline camera that can send at a rate of one image per bit . Though the lander ca n’t move , it will deploy a powerful telescope which will remain on the Moon , and can see much farther than Earth - based telescopes because there is no atmospheric overrefinement .
Yutu means Jade Rabbit in Chinese . We ca n’t say how activated we are to see Jade Rabbit skip across the lunar landscape painting , taking humanity one pace nearer to building home on another world .
Thanks to Jesse B. for the screenshots and research !
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