Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Archive for June, 2024

 

More information has come to light regarding that hitchhiking mini-rover on China’s Chang’e-6 Moon sampling mission.

The little Chang’e-6 rover is named “Jinchan” and weighs roughly 11 pounds (5 kilograms) reports the China ‘N Asia Spaceflight website.

Carried by Chang’e-6 to the far side of the Moon, the tiny vehicle rolled into position and captured the lander and its outstretched robotic arm that gathered lunar specimens.

Autonomous, intelligent

In a recent story, the state-run Xinhua news agency said the device was an autonomous, intelligent mini-robot, developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

“After Chang’e-6 collected the samples on the far side of the Moon,” Xinhua reports, “the mini rover autonomously detached from the lander, moved to a suitable position, selected an ideal angle for the photograph, and then captured the image.”

Key materials

In pre-launch imagery of China’s Chang’e-6, the mini-rover with four wheels surprised many China space watchers.

A glimmer of information later came from a story via China’s Science Network (news.sciencenet.cn). It did note the presence of a Chang’e-6 lunar rover.

 

According to the article, the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (later referred to as Shanghai Institute of Ceramics) undertook the development of a number of key materials.

 

“The large-sized tellurium dioxide crystal developed by the Shanghai Silicate Institute has excellent acoustic and optical properties and is a key material to achieve a large field of view, high spatial and spectral resolution, and is used in the infrared imaging spectrometer of the Chang’e-6 lunar rover,” the story explains.

“The ultrasonic motor is the ‘helper’ that presses the shutter for the ‘Chang’e Family’ lunar rover’s infrared imaging spectrometer. Piezoelectric ceramics are the core material of the ultrasonic motor,” the story continues. “Following Chang’e-3, 4 and 5, the wide temperature range and highly stable piezoelectric excitation element developed by Shanghai Silicate Institute was successfully used in the Chang’e-6 ultrasonic motor.”

In a SegerYU X posting, this translation via Google:

“The Chang’e-6 lunar rover has solar panels on the other side, and there are cameras on both sides of the rover, so it can take pictures no matter which side it faces. The rover is fully autonomous and can be remotely controlled from the ground.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go to this video showcasing the mini-rover at:

https://x.com/i/status/1807681698613858715

Clearly different

The sporty mini-snooper is far lighter and clearly different than China’s earlier Yutu-1 and Yutu-2 lunar rovers, each Yutu having six wheels and both loaded to their solar panels with lots of equipment.

China’s Chang’e-3 Moon lander let loose Yutu-1 in Mare Imbrium after its December 2013 arrival on the Moon. 

Yutu-2’s home turf after deployment by the Chang’e-4 lander in January 2019 is Von Kármán crater within the Moon’s south pole-Aitken basin. It is reportedly alive and well and still on the move.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go to this video that shows the Chang’e-6 mini-rover at:

https://x.com/i/status/1806871243733557468

Also, go to this up-close look at the Chang’e-6 returner capsule at:

https://x.com/i/status/1806870751385141461

 

New research points to Mars being on the receiving end of basketball-size meteorites – on a near daily basis.

An international research group, co-lead by ETH Zurich and Imperial College London, have derived the first estimate of global meteorite impacts on Mars using seismic data.

According to the new work, between 280 to 360 meteorites strike the Red Planet each year. The result is the formation of impact craters greater than 26 feet (8 meters across.

“This rate was about five times higher than the number estimated from orbital imagery alone. Aligned with orbital imagery, our findings demonstrate that seismology is an excellent tool for measuring impact rates,” explains Géraldine Zenhäusern of ETH Zurich who co-led the study.

Seismic “chirp”

Using data from the seismometer deployed during the now non-functioning NASA InSight lander on Mars, the research team found that 6 seismic events belong to a much larger group of marsquakes, so called very high frequency (VF) events.

Their research quest began in December 2021, a year before accumulated dust on the InSight’s solar panels put an end to its mission.

Co-lead of the research, Natalia Wójcicka of the Imperial College London adds: “We estimated crater diameters from the magnitude of all the VF-marsquakes and their distances, then used it to calculate how many craters formed around the InSight lander over the course of a year. We then extrapolated this data to estimate the number of impacts that happen annually on the whole surface of Mars.”

New data shows that a crater 26-feet (8-meters) in diameter is formed somewhere on the surface of Mars nearly every day. A crater 98-feet (30-meters) happens about once a month.

Safety of robotic, human explorers

The research team, in an ETH Zurich statements, explains that, since hypervelocity impacts cause blast zones that are easily 100 times larger in diameter than the crater, “knowing the exact number of impacts is important for the safety of robotic, but also future human missions to the Red Planet.”

As for follow-up work, Zenhäusern and Wójcicka, say the next steps in advancing this research involve the use of machine learning technologies to aid researchers in identifying further craters in satellite images and identifying seismic events in the data.

Key findings

In summary form, for the first time, researchers have used seismic data to estimate a global meteorite impact rate showing meteoroids the size of a basketball impact Mars on a near daily basis.

Impact-generated seismic signals show meteorite impacts to be five-times more abundant than previously thought.

Seismic data offers a new tool in addition to observational data for calculating meteorite impact rates and planning future Mars missions.

To access their research paper just out in Nature Astronomy – “An estimate of the impact rate on Mars from statistics of very-high-frequency marsquakes” – go to:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-024-02301-z

 

China’s Chang’e-6 lunar mission to the Moon’s far side netted over 4.3 pounds (1,935.3 grams) of samples.

A ceremony was held on Friday by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) to hand over the samples to the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) for storage, analysis and research.

 

 

In contrast, in December 2020, China’s earlier lunar sample mission – Chang’e-5 – snagged roughly 4 pounds (1,731 grams) of lunar collectibles.

The Chang’e-6 probe returner capsule touched down in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Tuesday, completing its 53-day Earth-to-Moon and return journey with a touchdown in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

 

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go to video at: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/3We3yVMyVMe7BqPq/

A container carrying China’s far side lunar samples has been extracted from the returner capsule of the Chang’e-6 lunar probe mission during a June 26 ceremony at the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing.

The Chang’e-6 probe returner touched down in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Tuesday, completing its 53-day Earth-to-Moon and return journey with a touchdown in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

On Wednesday morning, the Chang’e-6 return capsule arrived in Beijing for sample retrieval and payload removal.

 

Wait on the weight

The weight of the returned samples collected from the far side of the Moon by the Chang’e-6 mission will be made public on Friday, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) has stated.

 

 

Hu Hao, the chief designer of the Chang’e-6 mission, stated at the press event that the lunar soil samples from the Moon’s near side are fine and loose, while the samples from the far side appear to be different, Hu said. “So, we have higher expectations for the new lunar samples and hope that scientists will make new discoveries.”

 

Chang’e era

According to Bian Zhigang, deputy head of the CNSA, Chinese and foreign scientists have published more than 1,900 papers using data from China’s lunar exploration.

Global studies of lunar samples have entered the “Chang’e Era,” said Bian at the media event.

“Chinese and foreign scientists have published more than 1,900 papers using data from China’s lunar programs,” Bian said. “From the Chang’e-5 lunar samples, Chinese scientists discovered the sixth new mineral on the Moon and named it Changesite-(Y).”

Bian said that “research has proven that magma activities still existed on the Moon 1.96 billion years ago, which extended the known geological life of the Moon by 1 billion years.”

Go to these new videos focused on the Chang’e-6 sample return at:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/s1kF1PLs9Q2gc8s8/

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/vxxXnke823s7RATo/

China lunar scientists have begun their inspection of the country’s Chang’e-6 returner capsule and its cache of far side lunar samples.

Parachuting into the Siziwang Banner of north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region shortly after 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday, the capsule’s touchdown concluded a 53-day journey from Earth, to the Moon, and back to Earth.

Recovered by air and ground teams, the returner module was transported by road to Inner Mongolia’s Zhurihe Airport before it was airlifted to the Chinese capital Beijing.

Store and study

The returner was airlifted to Beijing for opening, and the lunar samples are being transferred to a team of scientists for subsequent storage, analysis and study, said the China National Space Agency (CNSA).

Technicians have taken out the samples and are slated to hand them over to what the CNSA tags as the “ground application system” led by a group of scientists who will store and study the samples.

The Chang’e-6 Moon mission was a multi-tasking enterprise, making use of an orbiter, a lander, an ascender and a returner that was launched on May 3.

Its lander-ascender combination touched down at the designated landing area in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the Moon’s far side on June 2, and completed sampling in two days.

Go to this video spotlighting the returner capsule’s landing at:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/pDYWKttwuEWn6fJj/

China’s just landed specimens from the far side of the moon signals not only technological achievement and plows new territory for the country’s space exploration capacity, it is also sparking a chain-reaction in scientific, policy, and diplomatic circles within the U.S.

Wrapping up a 53-day undertaking from Earth departure on May 3 to back on terra firma, China’s Chang’e-6 return capsule stuffed with its “ground breaking” cache of lunar collectibles parachuted into a pre-selected site within Siziwang Banner in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

This prize celestial catch of the day are samples from the southern mare plain of the Apollo basin interior, in the northeast interior of the far side South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin.

Go to my new Scientific American story at:

 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/china-returns-first-ever-samples-from-the-moons-far-side/

China’s Chang’e-6 lunar mission has ended, successfully bringing to Earth its celestial bounty – the world’s first sample from the Moon’s far side — after a 53-day journey in space.

The Chang’e-6 probe was launched on May 3 with the return capsule of onboard lunar specimens parachuting into Siziwang Banner, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on June 25. The return capsule landed in a pre-selected spot at 2:07 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Tuesday.

Chang’e-6 is one of the most complex and challenging missions in China’s space exploration efforts to date, reports China Central Television (CCTV), consisting of an orbiter, a returner, a lander and an ascender.

Mission stages

Following its Earth departure, the mission underwent various stages: Earth-moon transfer, near-moon braking, lunar orbiting, separation of the lander-ascender combination, landing on the Moon within the South Pole-Aitken Basin, collected its cache of lunar specimens over a two day period, then rocketed its grab and stash bits and pieces off the surface into orbit around the Moon.

All the lunar collectibles were then transferred into the orbiter-returner craft that spent 13 days in lunar orbit, awaiting the right alignment of Moon and Earth for the return trek.

The ascender segment separated from the combination and later landed on the Moon under the guidance of the ground control team, noted CCTV, to avoid the discarded craft becoming a piece of space junk.

Lunar evolution

Following two moon-Earth transfer maneuvers and one orbital correction, the returner separated from the orbiter and delivered the samples to Earth. Post-landing, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) declared the mission a complete success.

A key player in the Chang’e-6 mission was support provided by China’s Queqiao-2 relay satellite. The Queqiao-2 relay satellite was put into position shortly before the mission to aid communication with far side operations.

“The Chang’e-6 mission represents a significant milestone in the history of human lunar exploration, and it will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of lunar evolution,” said Yang Wei, a researcher at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. “New samples will inevitably lead to new discoveries.”

Chinese scientists anticipate the returned samples will include 2.5 million-year-old volcanic rock and other material that scientists hope will answer questions about geographic differences between the Moon’s near and far sides.

Beijing trajectory

Following the capsule’s touchdown, air and ground retrieving teams arrived at the landing site and carried out follow-up work, including returner checks, parachute-returner separation, and parachute retrieval. The team also put on a “coat” on the returner to prevent it from bumps and squeezing during its journey to Beijing. The capsule was then hoisted by crane for departure from the landing site.

Once the returner arrives in Beijing, the lunar samples are to be extracted from the returner for detailed analysis.

Less than four years ago, the Chang’e-5 mission brought to Earth 1.731 kilograms of lunar samples from the Moon’s near side. As of earlier this month, the Chang’e-5 lunar soil samples had been distributed to 114 scientific research teams, totaling 258 packs of samples that together weigh 77.7 grams.

One step at a time

China is willing to continue to work with like-minded international partners to explore outer space, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman on Tuesday.

Mao Ning made the remarks during a press conference in Beijing as the return capsule landed in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

“This year marks the 20th anniversary of China’s lunar exploration project,” Mao said. “From Chang’e-1 to Chang’e-6, China’s lunar exploration project has taken one step at a time and opened a new chapter in human lunar exploration.”

Mao added that China “is willing to continue to work with like-minded international partners to explore outer space, the common territory of mankind, to realize the common dream of people of all countries of reaching beyond the moon, and continue to strive for the peaceful use of outer space, a common cause of all mankind.”

Go to these videos that spotlight the landing and recovery of the Chang’e-6 return capsule at:

https://youtu.be/ky__Z0Z7oA0?si=dzso2xvyz6-J6NZ3

https://youtu.be/AxSKntm6fJA?si=GM2qBiXlTU9aVbmr

https://youtu.be/czUK4-_vVcc?si=kdqa388HvSTd-e57

China’s Chang’e-6 mission is coming to full stop within a planned landing area at Siziwang Banner in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The multi-tasking Earth-to-Moon and return mission is hauling a stash of lunar samples collected in the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin.

53-day journey

Chang’e-6 is a spacecraft comprising an orbiter, a lander, an ascender and a returner

Meanwhile, China recovery teams are gearing up for the parachuting capsule that signals the end of a 53-day journey that started with launch on May 3.

 

“In the vast grasslands of the Siziwang Banner in Inner Mongolia, northern China, anticipation permeates the air. The region is preparing for the historic return of the Chang’e-6 lunar probe,” notes a GLOBALink video at:

https://youtu.be/-ugtO2d009k?si=scnuUEK1Px_jkTqI

In 1974, Princeton University professor and space visionary, the late Gerard O’Neill, proposed use of an electromagnetic rail gun to lob payloads from the moon.

“Mass drivers” based on a coil gun design were adapted to accelerate a non-magnetic object. One application for mass drivers was tossing into space lunar-derived materials for building space colonies, as well as solar power satellites.

O’Neill also worked at MIT on mass drivers, along with colleague Henry H. Kolm, and a group of farsighted student volunteers, to fabricate their first mass driver prototype. Backed by grants from the Space Studies Institute, later prototypes improved on the mass driver concept.

That was five decades ago.

Now catapult yourself to the then and now and ask this question: what’s the U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford nuclear aircraft carrier got to do with the Moon?

To find out, go to my new Space.com story — Could we launch resources from the moon with electromagnetic railguns?” – at:

https://www.space.com/electromagnetic-launch-moon-mass-drive

 

Heart failure in space is the focus of new research that could influence the future of space tourists on their microgravity journeys.

This work involves a mathematical model of the heart and lung system to simulate how microgravity could affect an individual, particularly those not well-groomed for the experience.

Non-professional astronauts

The research paper – “Computational modeling of heart failure in microgravity transitions” – appears in the Frontiers in Physiology journal.

“The space tourism industry is growing due to advances in rocket technology. Privatized space travel exposes non-professional astronauts with health profiles comprising underlying conditions to microgravity,” the research paper points out, led by Stefan L. Wilson.

“Prior research has typically focused on the effects of microgravity on human physiology in healthy astronauts, and little is known how the effects of microgravity may play out in the pathophysiology of underlying medical conditions, such as heart failure,” the paper adds.

Area of study

According to co-author, Lex van Loon, an assistant professor at the Australian National University and the University of Twente in the Netherlands, the unique cardiovascular challenges posed by space travel could significantly affect heart failure patients, making this an essential area of study.

“As commercial space travel becomes more accessible, individuals with various underlying health conditions—including heart failure—may soon be among those venturing beyond Earth’s atmosphere,” van Loon explains. “This raises critical questions about the impact of space travel on humans with potential underlying health problems,” he adds, with new findings “offering insights that could shape the future of space travel.”

Notable effects

As has been noted since the dawn of human space travel, the human body undergoes significant changes when encountering microgravity.

“One of the most notable effects is the redistribution of bodily fluids, causing what is commonly known as ‘puffy face bird leg’ syndrome,” van Loon points out.

This fluid shift results in reduced venous pooling in the legs and increased venous pressure in the upper body.

On one hand, for healthy individuals, the cardiovascular system can adapt to these changes, “but for heart failure patients, the risks are substantially higher,” van Loon says.

Van Loon and fellow research colleagues observe that the demographic of commercial space travelers is shifting. Increasingly, there are older, wealthy individuals who may not be in optimal health.

“Unlike professional astronauts, these space tourists typically do not undergo rigorous health screenings or physical training,” Van Loon explains. “This shift necessitates a broader consideration of health conditions, such as heart failure, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses, in space mission planning.”

Cardiac pathologies

As underscored in the research paper, this study focused on elucidating safety concerns during space tourism, specifically during entry into microgravity.

“However, longer-term space travel, such as journeys to Mars, is associated with cardiac atrophy, alterations in pulmonary volumes and perfusion, electrical abnormalities, and other cardiovascular and hemodynamic changes,” the paper observes. “Future research should explore the potential effects of extended space flight on individuals with cardiac pathologies.”

To read the full paper — “Computational modeling of heart failure in microgravity transitions” — in the Frontiers in Physiology journal, go to:

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1351985/full