China has revealed details about a miniature rover tucked away on the groundbreaking Chang’e 6 mission to return samples to the far side of the moon.
Chang’e 6 launched on May 3 with a Long March 5 rocket. While it is a reused backup for the successful 2020 Chang’e 5 missionAfter launch, it was revealed that the new spacecraft also contained a surprise rover.
The Chang’e 6 lander landed in the Apollo crater with the South Pole-Aitken Basin on June 1. The rover was deployed about two days later, after sampling operations at the moon had been completed.
The small, autonomous vehicle drove away from its parent craft and captured an iconic image of the lander, topped by an ascent vehicle that would later shoot the collected samples into lunar orbit. The image shows solar panels, landing legs, a deployed sampling arm and a Chinese basalt flag.
The rover is highly capable and has significantly improved autonomous intelligence, according to its developer, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). according to the state media company Xinhua.
According to the report, the rover autonomously detached itself from the lander, drove to a suitable position and selected an ideal angle for the photo before taking the photo.
The small vehicle represents “a significant step forward in the development of autonomous intelligence in China’s deep space exploration efforts, and promises to positively impact future lunar exploration,” CASC said.
Weighing about 11 pounds (5 kilograms), the rover is much smaller and lighter than China’s first two lunar rovers: Yutu and Yutu 2, part of the 2013 Near Side Change 3 and 2019 on the other side Change 4 missions, respectively. Each Yutu weighed approximately 310 pounds (140 kg). Yutu 2 is still active in the Von Kármán crater on the moon.
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Although China has not provided details, the Chang’e 6 lander and rover likely ceased operations when the lander’s takeoff vehicle took off, destroying it with high-speed exhaust. Be that as it may, the lander and rover were not designed to survive the deep cold of the lunar night that has since fallen over the Apollo crater.
Chang’e 6 is supported by Queqiao 2. The relay satellite bounced signals between ground teams and the spacecraft on the far side of the moon, which never faces Earth.
Chang’e 6 is expected to bring about 2 kilograms of precious samples from the far side of the moon to Earth around June 25.
