Chang’e-4 probe lands first on the far side of the moon, Chang’e-4 is arrived on the far side of the moon. The Chinese probe is intended to explore the Geology and biology experiments. © Photo: Xinhua/Reuters contents page 1 — “It is cool to land there,” page 2 — “In the truest sense, other side of the moon” On a page
In the night to Thursday, the Chinese probe Chang’e 4 is landed on the surface of the moon. For the first time, people have landed a Rover on the far side of the moon. On Board: a radiation measuring device, developed by researchers at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany. In the Interview, one of the project leaders, Robert Wimmer-Schweingruber, on the tasks of the device speaks, the cooperation with the Chinese and the future of space travel.
Zeit ONLINE: you have successfully sent a measuring device on the moon – how does it feel?
Robert Wimmer-Schweingruber: It is a great relief. Finally, you never know if it will work. Any launch is tricky, but it went well. Each landing is tricky, but this has worked out. And our Instrument is called the Lunar Lander, Neutron Dosimetry, short-LND, is already on and seems to measure. Accordingly, great is the joy.
Robert Wimmer-Schweingruber is a Professor of physics at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany. With the help of his team, he has equipped the Chinese lunar laboratory, Chang’e 4, with a radiation experiment. © Private
Zeit ONLINE: How is the Instrument and what exactly do you want to find out?
Wimmer-Schweingruber: about two and a half kilograms LND is largely made up of aluminum and is about as big as a milk carton. Using a sensor, it should in the next twelve months, the radiation on the moon measure, which comes from the sun and from the galaxy. It is a particle radiation consisting of elementary particles, protons, alpha particles and heavier ions. The earth is shielded from this radiation is to a large extent, for astronauts and space riders but it is quite dangerous, because they alter the genome and lead to cancer. Astronauts have survived the risky rocket launch and the landing, survived, and remains on the moon as the only risk of the radiation exposure. To know what radiation is there, is so important for future moon missions.
In less than a year and a half from our concept proposal had to be a solid device
Robert Wimmer-Schweingruber, a physicist at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany
TIME ONLINE: Now, the German Experiment, which is funded by the German center for air and space travel is not, as is usual in a European or American probe, but on Board of a Chinese country unit. How was the cooperation?
Wimmer-Schweingruber: In the autumn of 2015, a German space company has to fly organized a Meeting of European science, which could have an interest in the Chinese Mission. Subsequently, the company has collected the ideas, and the Chinese are redirected. In January we were in Kiel, the news that our Experiment has been selected. From there, it went quickly: In less than a year and a half from our concept proposal had to be a solid device that was in the summer of 2017 in the countries install.
TIME ONLINE: it Was particularly attractive that the Chinese have sought to erdabgewandte side of the moon?
Wimmer-Schweingruber: For our Experiment, the moon side is not important. But it is cool to land there. Firstly, because it is never previously, and also because it is a real challenge. Because the moon is between the earth and the Lander, not directly with the land unit to communicate. He had to land autonomously. Also, it is harder to get data from the back than from the front of the moon. This is made possible by a Relay satellite for communications behind the moon, which forwards the data further.
TIME ONLINE: Why we actually see only one side of the moon?
Wimmer-Schweingruber: Within a month the moon revolves once around the earth and itself, while around its own axis. Synchronous Rotation is called the. That is why we always see the same side. This probably has to do with the formation of the moon. He was very much closer to the earth and moved with the time more and more to the outside, which was only due to the braking of the rotation.
far side of the moon Has the moon has a dark side?
in Short, no. But he has a back. It has long been regarded as a mystery, because from the earth it is not visible. Permanently dark, but our guard is not the of the earth facing away from the side therefore, even if, at the latest, since Pink Floyd’s iconic Rock Album The Dark Side of The Moon is magnetized, 1973, about a “dark side of the moon” Fanta. the
it is a fact that The moon revolves around the earth, that he turns always the same side (synchronous Rotation). A circumnavigation will take approximately four weeks. Within this time, the sun is irradiated in turn all sides of the moon. At full moon the earth-facing side of the moon illuminated, at the new moon, the side facing away. the
