Unpublished 360° picture of the hidden side of the Moon

CLEP – China Lunar Exploration Program logo.

Jan. 11, 2019

360° picture of the hidden side of the Moon

The Chinese lunar probe sent an impressive panoramic photo of its arrival location, showing a gray landscape dotted with craters.

Sequence of landing pictures by Chang’e-4 onboard camera. Image Credits:CNSA/CLEP

The Chang’e-4 mission succeeded, on January 3rd, the first smooth landing of the history on this hemisphere of the Moon which turns permanently back to the Earth. This is a crucial step in China’s ambitious space program. A small wheeled remote-controlled robot Yutu-2 (“Jade Bunny 2”) has left the lander and is moving on the lunar surface to perform analyzes.

Chang’e-4 landing (Onboard Camera View)

A camera, installed on the probe Chang’e-4, took a picture released Friday by China National Space Agency CNSA (China National Space Administration).

Image above: The 360-degree panoramic image shows a gray lunar surface, part of the probe and the little robot with the marks left by its wheels. “The researchers completed the preliminary analysis of the lunar surface topography around the moon landing site based on the image taken by the camera,” said the CNSA. Image Credits: CLEP/CNSA.

Extremely hot temperatures

The Chang’e-4 probe, the Jade Bunny 2, and the Queqiao satellite responsible for returning the information to Earth “are in a stable state and all programs are proceeding as planned,” the statement said.

Chang’e 4 lander-rover relayed back via satellite relay.Image Credits: CASC/CNSA

The small 140 kg remote-controlled robot resumed its activity on Thursday after being put on standby for several days to avoid the extremely hot temperatures that prevailed on the lunar surface.

This is the second time China has sent a machine to explore the moon after the first Yutu rover in 2013.

Related article:

China’s Yutu-2 rover Enters Standby Mode for ‘Noon Nap’ as Chang’e 4 Tests Continue
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2019/01/chinas-yutu-2-rover-enters-standby-mode.html

For more information about China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), visit: http://english.spacechina.com/n16421/index.html

For more information about China National Space Administration (CNSA), visit: http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/

Images (mentioned), Video, Text, Credits: CNSA/CLEP/AFP/SciNews/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.

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