Chinese Spacecraft Sends Pics of Earth & Moon Clicked from 5,90,000 km Away
In a remarkable achievement, China’s space agency, CNSA, has released high-definition pictures of the Earth and the Moon, taken from a staggering distance of 5,90,000 kilometers (3,66,000 miles) away. The breathtaking images were captured by China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft, which has been in orbit for over 33 days and is currently located over 12 million kilometers (7.5 million miles) away from Earth.
The Tianwen-2 spacecraft, launched in July 2022, is on a mission to collect and return with China’s first asteroid sample. As part of this mission, the spacecraft has been equipped with advanced cameras that allow it to capture stunning images of the Earth and the Moon from an unprecedented distance.
The released pictures show the Earth and the Moon in exquisite detail, with the blue and white hues of our planet’s oceans and continents clearly visible. The images also capture the rugged terrain of the Moon’s surface, with its craters, mountains, and dark basins on full display.
“It’s a great achievement for our country’s space exploration,” said Zhang Lihua, the chief designer of the Tianwen-2 spacecraft, in a statement. “The spacecraft has been operating smoothly and has captured many high-quality images of the Earth and the Moon.”
The images were taken using a high-resolution camera system, which is capable of capturing images with a resolution of up to 1 meter per pixel. The camera system is equipped with a specialized lens that allows it to capture images of the Earth and the Moon from a great distance.
The Tianwen-2 spacecraft is the latest in a series of successful missions by China’s space agency, which has made significant strides in recent years in space exploration. In 2020, China’s Chang’e 5 spacecraft successfully returned with the first lunar samples in over 40 years, and in 2019, China’s Chang’e 4 spacecraft became the first spacecraft to land on the far side of the Moon.
The Tianwen-2 spacecraft is expected to continue its mission for several more months, during which time it will continue to collect data and images of the asteroid it is targeting. The spacecraft is equipped with a specialized sampling arm that will allow it to collect samples of the asteroid’s surface and return them to Earth for further study.
The successful mission of the Tianwen-2 spacecraft is a testament to China’s growing capabilities in space exploration and its commitment to advancing our understanding of the universe. As the country continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, we can expect to see even more exciting developments and discoveries in the years to come.
