Although the landing area has always (last few years) been described just as Sinus Iridum, it has also always extended into Mare Imbrium. There's a good reason - this is one of the areas on the Moon where basalt flows of two very distinct colors are visible. Clementine multispectral data show it very clearly. The area imaged at high resolution by Chang'E 2 extends from this landing site on the younger basalt unit deep into Sinius Iridum proper, onto the older basalt unit. There is a boundary between the units only a few km north of Yutu right now, so it will probably drive across it to analyze both units and use radar to probe the boundary between them. But I expect Chang'E 4 to land on the other unit, actually in Sinus Iridum.
Quote from: plutogno on 12/15/2013 04:40 pmthe landing video is now more conveniently on YoutubeIncredible Video! Possibly the best Lunar landing footage ever!
the landing video is now more conveniently on Youtube
I looket at the video again, and I think something went wrong:1) lander did not stop at as expected 4 m altitude (around 05:57:00 in video it starts "picking up some dust" (cit.) )2) engine did not turn off at that altitude, it remained firing even after landing!
2) engine did not turn off at that altitude, it remained firing even after landing!
1) lander did not stop at as expected 4 m altitude (around 05:57:00 in video it starts "picking up some dust" (cit.) )
BEIJING, Dec. 15 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated the complete success of Chang'e-3 mission that achieved the country's first moon softlanding Sunday night at Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC).Xi and other officials shook hands with staff members at the control center, extending greetings to all participants of the mission.After the moon lander and moon rover successfully took pictures for each other on Sunday night, Ma Xingrui, chief commander of China's lunar program, announced Chang'e-3 mission a "complete success".
Quote from: Star One on 12/15/2013 04:08 pmTalking of Chang'e 4, will that be that launched on the same launcher as this one or are they going to put it one of their new launchers? Afterall to do sample recovery I would think they'll need a higher capacity launcher. No, Chang'e-4 is going to be copy HW of CH'e-3 including LV, with mission goals more focussed on science compare to Ch'e-3 which is more technology demonstration mission.Sample return missions will be then Chang'e-4 and Chang'e-5.
Talking of Chang'e 4, will that be that launched on the same launcher as this one or are they going to put it one of their new launchers? Afterall to do sample recovery I would think they'll need a higher capacity launcher.
Quote from: pospa on 12/15/2013 04:17 pmQuote from: Star One on 12/15/2013 04:08 pmTalking of Chang'e 4, will that be that launched on the same launcher as this one or are they going to put it one of their new launchers? Afterall to do sample recovery I would think they'll need a higher capacity launcher. No, Chang'e-4 is going to be copy HW of CH'e-3 including LV, with mission goals more focussed on science compare to Ch'e-3 which is more technology demonstration mission.Sample return missions will be then Chang'e-4 and Chang'e-5.I had heard that Change'e 4 was the backup to 3, therefore I thought it would be used to test out a new launcher?
That's what I've read somewhere it is going to happen! HD-3D live footage from the moon!
China's moon rover, lander to photograph each otherChina's first moon rover, Yutu, or Jade Rabbit, and the lander are scheduled to take photos of each other Sunday night, a move that will mark the complete success of the country's Chang'e-3 lunar probe mission.http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-12/15/c_132969906.htm
Quote from: Duck on 12/15/2013 04:45 pmThat footage is incredible. I so wish we'd had something like that for MSL! NASA needs to get it into their heads that the public need to actually see is happening in order to get them interested in what's going on!Unfortunately, despite the great imagery from the Chang'e 3 mission, the public is very unaware of what's happening. Poor media coverage and bad timing (Mandela's funeral taking the headlines) are among the reasons. However, I suspect and fear that there is another reason: very few people care about space travel, Moon landings and so on.
That footage is incredible. I so wish we'd had something like that for MSL! NASA needs to get it into their heads that the public need to actually see is happening in order to get them interested in what's going on!
I was beginning to wonder whether I would ever see a return to the lunar surface. I am the opposite of underwhelmed. When I watched the live broadcast I had tears in my eyes.
I'm still waiting for proper releases of the video footage not from poor TV screencaps after multiple bad digital re-encodes. This is a failure of the Chinese government IMO.