Nice! One Q springs to mind - is the rover able to operate independently, out of visual range from the lander?
Wu Weiren also talked about the rover having autonomous navigation capability. The Soviet Lunokhods required television monitors and continuous round-the-clock shifts of drivers to manually tele-operate them. Wu said that Yutu can be operated in this mode, but that there is also a "completely independent operation mode" in which it can be navigated to waypoints. It can avoid obstacles using both long- and near-distance stereo vision through navigational cameras on the mast and hazard avoidance cameras on the body, just like NASA's Mars rovers. "If a stone is too big, the rover will automatically turn, then go around it." [15:41]
Quote from: Lars_J on 12/22/2013 05:58 amNice! One Q springs to mind - is the rover able to operate independently, out of visual range from the lander?Thanks to Emily Lakdawalla and her translation of a press briefing, seems like the rover can operate by itself. QuoteWu Weiren also talked about the rover having autonomous navigation capability. The Soviet Lunokhods required television monitors and continuous round-the-clock shifts of drivers to manually tele-operate them. Wu said that Yutu can be operated in this mode, but that there is also a "completely independent operation mode" in which it can be navigated to waypoints. It can avoid obstacles using both long- and near-distance stereo vision through navigational cameras on the mast and hazard avoidance cameras on the body, just like NASA's Mars rovers. "If a stone is too big, the rover will automatically turn, then go around it." [15:41]
My question was not really related to navigation - it is more about communication ability. Can the rover operate independently of the lander on a long trek?
plus, IIRC there is a beyond-the-horizon radio link with the lander
Quote from: plutogno on 12/22/2013 07:31 amplus, IIRC there is a beyond-the-horizon radio link with the landerThe moon has a beyond-the-horizon radio-comm facilitating ionosphere?
Long-range, over-the-horizon (transhorizon) radio wave propagation is considered for the case of the Moon. In the event that relay satellites are not available or otherwise unwarranted for use, transhorizon communication provides for a contingency or backup option for non line-of-sight lunar surface exploration scenarios. Two potential low-frequency propagation mechanisms characteristic of the lunar landscape are the lunar regolith and the photoelectron induced plasma exosphere enveloping the Moon
Quote from: Will on 12/22/2013 12:18 amNot whining, cobber. No huhu. Just saying that China is slow to share original data compared to NASA and ESA.I think this is quite understandable. They are still building up experience, they are not a democracy, they have to learn how to manage public outreach.SNIPActually I'm amazed by seeing this coverage for this mission. Respect to the past it looks to me quite an improvement. Derivative matters, not absolute value.
Not whining, cobber. No huhu. Just saying that China is slow to share original data compared to NASA and ESA.
But I have a question: they have said that they are going to put the CE-3 information into the Planetary Data System. Does that include imagery? If so, it may be possible to get high quality imagery out of the PDS even if the Chinese don't directly release it to the press.
The format and naming convention of the CE-1/CE-2 data products follow the PDS ( The Planetary Data System ) standards issued by NASA. These ensure that, without knowing specific information about the payloads, the persons who have acquired data are able to use them directly and easily.
A-they are not a democracyB-they are still leaning about how to do this
Quote from: Blackstar on 12/23/2013 12:10 amA-they are not a democracyB-they are still leaning about how to do thisTwo very good points. I thought the coverage has been quite good, but one aspect they could improve on is providing a Press Kit. For western media I think it would be a big help in covering their future missions.
And does anybody know of a Soviet-era launch that was shown live on television?
I believe I recall the launch of the Soyuz for the Apollo-Soyuz mission being televised live, but that was certainly an exception. Does anyone else remember that?
In fact, this was also the first time that the main launch vehicle of the Soviet planetary and lunar programs, introduced into service in the late 1960s, was actually shown on Soviet television. Nevertheless, even although the Proton no longer had a military role, the coverage was not allowed to disclose the actual ascent trajectory or the times of staging.
I think this is the best quality image I've seen of the rover.