A unequalled view of the Moon , with its far side facing the camera and an unsettlingly tiny Earth lurking in the background knowledge , has been captured by China ’s Longjiang-2 planet .
China ’s Longjiang-2 planet , along with the Queqiao communication investigation , has been in lunar orbit since June 2018 . Longjiang-1 , a sis satellite to Longjiang-2 , did n’t manage to leave Earth ’s orbit after launch in late May , but that ’s been the only dark spot on what has otherwise been a successful foreign mission for the China National Space Administration ( CNSA ) and its effort to hit the books the Moon ’s far side .
Back in early January , the Chang’e-4 lunar investigation , which launch in December 2018 , successfully landed on the Moon ’s far side , deploy itstiny robot , snapping stunningpanoramas , taking thetemperature of the Moon ’s blanched regolith , and even doing somepioneering lunar gardening . But none of this would be potential without Longjiang-2 and Queqiao , which are serving as critical relay race satellites , allowing mission controller to stay in contact with Chang’e-4 as it work on the Moon ’s concealed side .
Longjiang-2 is a microsatellite measuring just 20 inches across , and it ’s equipped with a Saudi-Arabian Arabian - built optical camera . The petite satellite tookbeautiful pictures of the Moonafter reaching lunar eye socket in June 2018 , but in former January 2019 , as the CNSA was carefully monitor the landing of Chang’e-4 , it bring up a radio - quiet period to minimize interference , accordingto CAMRAS , which make out the Dwingeloo Radio telescope in the northeast Netherlands . This rotatable 25 - meter radio receiver scope — the old of its kind to still be in service of process — is helping the CNSA with its radio communication for the lunar mission .
This photo of Earth and the Lunar farside , maybe our best ever , was taken yesterday by the Chinese Lunar satellite DSLWP - B ( Longjiang-2 ) . The Dwingeloo telescope download the photo from the planet this morning . More info athttps://t.co/sKt7w9mol9pic.twitter.com/IsnyvqekTz
— Dwingeloo Telescoop ( @radiotelescoop)February 4 , 2019
The CNSA lifted Longjiang-2 ’s dumb period in mid - January , tolerate the satellite to take photographs once more . On February 3 , the CNSA had the satellite capture a timelapse of the Moon with the Earth in the screen background , which was subsequently transmitted to the Dwingeloo scope the following mean solar day , CAMRAS report . It ’s the first picture catch by Longjiang-2 that prove the Moon ’s total far side and the Earth together in the same frame .
CAMRAS is expecting to obtain more lunar pics next week , so there ’s more to come . Importantly , Longjiang-2 will be doing more than just take coolheaded pics — it ’s also slated to conduct downhearted frequency radio uranology and amateur radio experiment , thanks to its breakup from our satellite ’s ionosphere .
[ CAMRASviaVerge ]
ChinaEarthScience
Daily Newsletter
Get the best tech , skill , and acculturation news in your inbox day by day .
intelligence from the future , delivered to your present .
You May Also Like
