Jade hare on the moon. China's Jade Hare lunar rover is out of service, but officials still believe in its recovery. Exploration of the moon and its far side

On Wednesday, China News Service (CNS) reported that China's Yutu lunar rover is " jade hare"- officially declared out of order. According to the agency, the device never came to its senses after the lunar night, and when the lunar day came on February 10, after unsuccessful attempts to activate the lunar rover, the Chinese specialists were forced to surrender and admit defeat.

However, later in the Chinese media there were messages of a different kind. reports that experts still do not lose hope to bring the device back to life. For example, Pei Zhaoyu, a spokesman for the Yutu mission, told China National Radio that the lunar rover is "alive, the specialists have a signal, but the specialists cannot resolve it." On his Sina Weibo (Chinese equivalent of Twitter) account, Pei Zhaoyu wrote, “He is alive again! At least he's alive and now we can save him."

This situation is reminiscent of the catastrophe of the Russian research apparatus "Phobos-Grunt", which in November 2011 was launched to the satellite of Mars - Phobos - but could not reach the desired trajectory, remaining in Earth's orbit.

A few months later, the apparatus entered the dense layers of the atmosphere and burned out. Experts have been reporting the presence of a signal for more than one week, but did not want to recognize the device as lost.

The Jade Hare landed on the moon in mid-December at Rainbow Bay Crater aboard the Chang'e-3 lander. In three decades of lunar silence, this was the first expedition to the moon.

And, importantly, the first ever soft landing of a Chinese vehicle.

This success was noted in his December big press conference by the President of Russia, who congratulated China on the successful landing, saying: "We - the entire world community and Russia - are waiting for the results of this work."

In addition to purely political preferences received by China from this mission, the lunar rover was intended for research geological features lunar surface and search for natural resources. Before its death, the lunar rover managed to transmit a little more than 4,600 images to Earth.

Trouble with the Jade Hare when it failed to deploy its solar panel over the rover, which would also protect it from the harmful effects of the coming moonlit night. Without this protection, the Chinese rover's electronics were practically doomed to a deadly freeze. Chinese experts hoped that their "Jade Hare" would be able to hold out in lunar conditions for three months. They explain his premature death by the complexities of the lunar landscape.

Chinese representatives on the details of the death of their lunar rover prefer not to spread.

The moving parts of any mechanism on the Moon are exposed not only to radiation and temperature fluctuations, but also to lunar dust. In this difficult situation, it is necessary to understand what exactly happens to the device before it fails. Anything could happen, such as lubrication problems that could lead to additional friction or even "cold fusion" of metal surfaces.

For the Chinese lunar program, which provides for the study of the Moon with the help of robots and flights of astronauts, duplication is typical - two identical modules are created, and the second comes into play if some kind of trouble happens to the first, but this second one will already be prepared for such trouble. China has already built another landing module, Chang'e-4, which is planned to be sent to the moon in the next few years.

The first of the probes of this series, Chang'e-1, was sent into orbit around the moon in 2007. The mission then ended in complete success. The device transmitted to Earth a huge amount of data, according to which, in particular, the first ever complete volumetric map of the Moon was built. The Chang'e-1 completed its research program by crashing into the lunar surface at full speed in accordance with the experiment.

Then, with the help of a more powerful launch vehicle, the next probe, Chang'e-2, was sent to the Moon, which, after briefly spinning around the Moon, went to the asteroid Tautatis.

Experts suggest that China will repeat its attempt to send a lunar rover to the lunar surface. But, apparently, this event will be preceded by a long pause, during which Chinese experts will try to figure out the reasons for the failure of the Jade Hare in order to save his follower from the troubles that caused his premature death.

Some scandalous data related to the landing of the Chinese lunar rover Jade Hare in the Sea of ​​​​Rains are walking around the network. Let's analyze what is true and what is not.

Scandal #1: The Jade Hare is still spinning the US

The jade hare is still spinning the USA on its jade stalk. A terrible thing happened - in the photo of the Chinese lunar module, taken by the Yutu lunar rover, large stars are clearly visible in the background.

As everyone remembers starry sky was completely absent from all the photographs taken on .

Very subtly China trolls the US. Very thin. It seems that they didn’t say anything - but who needs it, he saw everything anyway.

I found on this moment best photos from the Chinese moon rover, they are higher, and no matter how I peered, I did not see a single star. Maybe they saw the stars in the picture below.

Scandal No. 2: The Chinese bombed Moscow, at the presentation of the lunar rover

During the presentation of the Jade Hare moon rover in China. Look at the nuclear mushroom in the place of Moscow. Here, as they say, without comment ...

As it turned out, Chinese designers just stole these wallpapers on the Internet. So all claims to the wallpaper designer.

Scandal #3: Chinese military plans to turn the moon into a military missile base

Chinese media report that by 2050 a missile base will be built on the moon, and projectiles fired from it will be capable of hitting targets on Earth.

Thus, the Moon will turn into a deadly weapon, comparable to the fantastic "Death Star" - a combat space station described in the Star Wars series. The energy weapon installed on it was capable of destroying almost any planet.

On the natural satellite of the Earth, testing grounds for Chinese weapons will soon be built, writes RBC with reference to foreign news agencies.

As you know, the mission of the Chinese lunar rover Chang'e-4, or as it is also called the Jade Hare, continues on the Moon. In general, the mission is going very well, and while the device is "resting". You can find out about the latest news related to the Chinese lunar program from this article.

If you look, the name of the apparatus is the name of the goddess of the moon in Chinese mythology. This is the name of the entire Chinese space program, but the lunar rover was called the "Jade Hare" (translated from Chinese), also associated with the goddess of the moon. This is the second mission to the moon as part of the study of this celestial body China. It has been going on since the beginning of December, but the landing on the moon took place on the third of January.

Chinese lunar rover "Jade Hare", latest news

According to recent reports, the device is in perfect order and now it's on standby. Details are not reported, but it is likely that the Chinese will carry out diagnostics of the systems of the station and the lunar rover during this time, as well as analyze the information already received and prepare for the further implementation of the program.

As you know, the mission consists of a lunar station and a special apparatus, which was created to study the earth's satellite. This project will already go down in history, if only because within its framework there was a landing, on the so-called " dark side» Moon. It turned out clearly and according to plan and the first time besides.

On January 4, the program began to be implemented in all directions. Antennas were installed and communication was established, and besides this, a lunar rover was launched, which began research activities. After that, as the device was tested in practice, he returned to the station and on the tenth of January will continue to work.

After that, the Chang'e-4 lander will undergo high-temperature tests on the upcoming lunar day, and the Yutu-2 lunar rover will go into sleep mode, and according to forecasts, it will wake up on January 10, the Chinese Mission Control said.

Chinese lunar program "Chang'e-4", what is known about it

On January 3, at 10:26 a.m. Chinese time (5:26 Moscow time), the Chang'e-4 lander successfully landed on the far side of the moon, China Central Television said in a statement.

The pictures that were taken by the apparatus on the satellite and transmitted to Earth have already made a splash. Pictures and information from the station do not go directly to our planet, but first to a special broadcasting satellite.

Interestingly, in addition to technical equipment, the station also carries various seeds and even living organisms. One of the goals is to study the satellite's biosystem, as well as to analyze the prospects for working with it. This whole mission has already made China one of the leaders of the world space race between countries, the leaders of which at the moment are the USA and Russia.

In addition, the lunar rover has other equipment:

• video camera
• geological radar for the study of lunar soil
• infrared spectrometer for the study of minerals
• instrument for studying the effect of the solar wind on the surface of the moon

Exploration of the moon and its far side

It was indeed expected, planned and prepared. This mission is two-stage. To ensure data transfer from reverse side Moon, a repeater is needed. As it, they launched the device in the vicinity of the libration point of the Earth-Moon system ... The next stage - they landed. This was also not immediately, at first they launched the device into the orbit of the moon's satellite and only after that they landed on the moon. This technology is the only possible one,” said expert Nathan Eismont.

AT last years many flights were made to the Earth's satellite. Most missions were limited to orbit, some flew past.

The last landing on the moon with a crew on board was made by spaceship Apollo 17 in 1972.

The far side of the Moon is often called dark, but in reality it is that part of the lunar surface that is not visible from Earth. The Moon and the Earth rotate synchronously, so the surface of only one of the hemispheres of the satellite is visible from the Earth.

There are more craters and denser soil on the far side of the Moon. China aspires to become one of the leading space powers along with the US and Russia.

In 2017, Beijing announced the preparation of a manned expedition to the moon. Next year, China plans to start building its own space station and complete it by 2022.

The BBC correspondent in Beijing, John Sadworth, notes that before the successful landing of the Chang'e-4, almost nothing was known about the preparations for this mission. China in 2003 became the third country after the USSR and the USA to independently launch a man into space.

The Chinese lunar rover Yutu, the Jade Hare, became the second vehicle to make a soft landing on the moon after the last Americans, the Apollo 17 crew, Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmit, left it in December 1972. In August 1976, the Soviet automatic station Luna-24 flew to Earth, taking samples of lunar soil.

In December 2013, a successfully landed "hare" transmitted images from the place of arrival. And they revived the disputes that had subsided about what color the moon was? In Chinese photos, it is brown. The sky is silver. Approximately the color of the Moon and in numerous pictures taken American astronauts directly on the surface of our natural satellite. This surface is either white or greyish-silver in the sun. And in the shadows - dark.

Chinese lunar rover - "Jade Hare" - moves out to the brown surface of the moon Photo: Xinhua

The Chinese photographed the surface of the moon without the "hare" - it is brown. Photo: Xinhua

American lunar rover of the Apollo 17 expedition - rides on the gray moon Photo: NASA

A well-known American researcher was the first to say that something was wrong with the color of the moon a few years ago. anomalous phenomena Joseph Skipper. He accused NASA of a dirty trick. Like, for some mysterious reason, the agency processed the lunar images posted on official websites in the public domain. From all etched the real color of objects, making landscapes black and white. Like in an old movie.

Skipper's suspicions were strengthened by a photograph he found of one of those taken by the crew of the last Apollo. The picture shows Eugene Cernan - sets the American flag and takes a picture of himself, holding the camera at arm's length. Schmit walks around the lunar module, which is located in front of both the flag and the astronaut's spacesuit learned to be bright and colorful. And the lunar surface is black and white. Normally.

The moon is grey, but the helmet reflects brown. Photo: NASA

But look at the glass of the helmet. It reflects both the lunar module and the surface on which it stands. The surface is brown. As in the Chinese pictures of 2013. And it looks like this is the real color of the moon.

I don't know why NASA bleached the pictures, says Joseph Skipper. They must be hiding something. Indeed, as a rule, removing the natural color of an object masks its structure. And the structure, in turn, can give out some details that should not fall into the field of view of the uninitiated.

According to the researcher, part of the photo with the flag was simply not processed due to an oversight. And the trick was revealed.

And the Chinese did not process anything at all. They didn't know it was supposed to be. The Americans did not warn them.

All shades of chocolate, not gray

In favor of the fact that the Moon is brown, members of the crew of Apollo 10 also testified. Then in May 1969, the same Eugene Cernan was the pilot of the lunar module, the commander was Thomas Stafford, the pilot of the command module was John Young. The astronauts were choosing the landing site for Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, who were to be the first to set foot on the moon in just a couple of months.

Cernan and Stafford undocked from the command module and approached the surface to within 100 meters. Considered its color in detail. What was a detailed report about. And they took pictures.

In the report of the Apollo 10 crew, pardon the pun, it is written in black and white that the Moon is sometimes light brown, sometimes reddish brown, sometimes the color of dark chocolate. But not grey.

The surface of the moon taken from the Apollo 10. Photo: NASA

And in some pictures taken from the Apollo 10, it is generally green with bright red patches.

Strangely, the photos of Cernan, Stafford, and Young were the last to show the Moon in color. Further, starting with the first landing of the Americans, it became black and white.

In this picture, the moon is green Credit: NASA

By the way, the astronauts from Apollo 17 also found something surprising in color right next to the landing site. Enthusiastic and repeated shouts were received on Earth: "I can't believe it... It's incredible... It's orange... It's like something rusted here." It's about about the soil that the astronauts are trying to collect in a bag. She must have been brought to Earth. But what the find was, no one has yet reported.

There is some secret here

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The USSR pilot-cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, who was a friend of Stafford, once explained to me about the color of the moon: it's all about the film on which they shot, and the reflectivity of the surface.

Each person perceives light in his own way, - said Alexey Arkhipovich. - To one it seems a brown shade, to another - a different shade. And photography is artificially invented layers. Any film is three colors. And a combination of three colors. The result depends on the processing. Depends on the angle of the light beam. One light position - one color. The sun is rising - a different color. The same color surface can reflect, depending on the angle, different wavelengths. And this is a different color.

I believe Alexei Arkhipovich. But still I don’t understand: at first the Moon reflected so that it was brown, and then it began to reflect so that it became black and white on color film. And now it's brown again - in Chinese pictures. Jade Hare's landing site: in the Sea of ​​Rains, not in Rainbow Bay. Photo: NASA

The Apollo 15 landing site is over 2,500 kilometers away. Before "Apollo-17" - even further. Or you could sit next to it, in order to surely see the equipment left by the astronauts, take a picture of it. Or, conversely, not to see. To the delight of those who doubt that the Americans landed on the moon. However, the Chinese have their own plans.