Once again, China is the “great leap forward” in – this time in space. Expected next Sunday will the Middle Kingdom for the first time send a terrain vehicle to the moon. According to its designers from Shanghai Aerospace System Engineering Research Institute, the six-wheeled vehicle is very versatile: it should roll up to 200 meters per hour over the lunar surface – which is a fairly brisk pace for a Rover – and cope with gradients of up to 30 percent .
Transportation to earth satellite takes a rocket of the type “Long March 3B”, which is to stand out from the Xichang space center in southwestern China. As payload it carries the 1.2-ton landing module Chang’e 3, which in turn has the Rover on board. The lunar rover was baptized in the context of an internet vote with 190 000 participants, “Yutu” (jade rabbit), reported the Xinhua News Agency.’s National mythology this was the name of a white rabbit, which the moon goddess Chang’e kept as a pet. After Chang’e took a magic pill, she flew to the moon with Yutu, since both live there.
The lander is equipped as a small research station. It carries seven instruments on board, including some cameras as well as a telescope that operates in the near ultraviolet. It is stars, the Milky Way and observing the universe. “It looks more and more clearly than earthly telescopes,” said Ouyang Ziyuan project researcher, who is working on the Chinese lunar program. “It could bring new discoveries, as it is disturbed on the moon by any atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere. Nor affect human activities or environmental vision “. This Chang’e 3 will be the first observatory of humanity on the Earth’s satellite. The cameras will photograph the Earth and other nearby celestial bodies, which promises new impressive images of our cosmic home instead.
the Rover Yutu presented China’s space agency, the beginning of the public November. A model was shown at the industrial fair in Shanghai. The gold-colored, fitted with solar wings vehicle weighs 120 kilograms. Upon arrival, expected in mid-December it will explore for three months, the area surrounding the landing site. This is the opinion of experts in the sinus Iridium (Bay of Rainbows). An official confirmation that there is not, but the Chinese orbiter Chang’e 2 took in his Mondumkreisungen 2010, this low level at the edge of Mare Imbrium under the microscope. Since it is very shallow, it is likely to be suitable as a landing pad.
Video: Historic photos of the race to the Moon
No comments:
Post a Comment