China recently launched Chang’e-4 spacecraft, which has landed on the dark side of the moon.
What is the mission all about?
The moon, though has two sides, is tidally locked with Earth.
It rotates exactly once every time it circles our planet, thus keeping the same hemisphere pointing toward Earth at all times.
Astronomers refer to the side we always see from Earth as the “near side” and the side we can never see as the “far side (dark side).”
A Chinese lunar probe named Chang’e-4 made the first-ever landing on the far side of the moon.
It carries a rover, which carries out low-frequency radio astronomical observations and probing of structure and mineral composition of the terrain.
The instruments include cameras, low-frequency radio spectrum analyser, lunar neutron and radiation dose detectors.
With its Chang’e 4 mission, China has possibly become the first country to make a soft landing, which is a landing of a spacecraft during which no serious damage is incurred.
Thus, the pioneering landing demonstrates China’s growing ambitions as a space power.
What is the importance of the launch?
Exploration of - The mission could answer fundamental questions about Earth’s only natural satellite, the moon. moon
It could reveal formation and early evolution of moon, which could guide astronomers in planetary studies and help in understanding exoplanets.
Radio Astronomy - Communication devices and satellites have made it too noisy for radio astronomers to easily and accurately interpret signals.
The near side of the moon also suffers from this problem of noise.
However, the moon’s far side is shielded from all the radio waves emanating from earth.
Hence, it is an ideal place to set up a radio telescope that could reveal astronomical mysteries, such as the structure of the universe shortly after the Big Bang.
Also, the difference in the thickness of the crust between the near side and the far side would be studied.
Human spaceflights - The probe is the first mini-greenhouse to land on another world in the solar system.
The investigations will reveal whether plants can grow on the moon, which is a crucial step toward long-term human missions beyond Earth.
Thus, the mission is a step forward in preparing people to return to the moon for longer than a brief visit.
