China lands rover on moon.

[ZenOps]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/02/health/china-lunar-rover-far-moon-landing-intl/index.html

They specifically decided to land on the side of the moon that the earth never sees. Makes sense to me.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27e_4#Yutu-2_rover

Designed to last three months, but hopefully longer as it basically has nuclear waste to keep the electronics alive, I can imagine they have to heat it to at least -80 Celsius.

"The total landing mass is 1,200 kg (2,600 lb).[2] Both the stationary lander and Yutu-2 rover are equipped with a radioisotope heater unit (RHU) in order to heat their subsystems during the long lunar nights"

[ExtraSlow]

Not surprised you are the one to post this, but this is a HUGE deal and I'm really excited about it.

[ZenOps]

I'm just impressed that it cost less than 1/1000th what it did 50 years ago.

Of course, the use of nuclear waste to keep things heated was a huge leap, as they no longer had to rely on burning fuel. Anything done on the dark side of the moon will be unverifiable by second sources - for decades if not a century.

What I'm actually surprised with is that they were given the OK by other countries to essentially put what is a dirty bomb launched on a rocket. Three months to Two years worth of nuclear heat (moon gets down to -173 degrees Celsius at "midnight") is not insignificant for that small a size.

[holden]

There goes the neighbourhood. Will probably see trash thrown on the ground and nobody lining up in queues.

[Maxt]

Did anyone check to see how much they are on Alibaba?

[Darell_n]

Did anyone check to see how much they are on Alibaba?

$49 if you buy 10,000 or more.

[ZenOps]

If you want a conspiracy theory: They are setting up a test flag 100x100 foot "self unfolding flag" on that side made up of ultrathin titanium plates. It is tinted red (colour of the flag) and they will monitor the damage in incurs over a year as it cycles between the extreme temperatures and stresses of the day and night cycles. If there is a catastrophic failure, no one will ever know. If it is successful, they will deploy a football field sized one on the visible side (viewable by earth with telescope) Also being tested: A "Roomba" type robot that skitters over the top to keep the moon dust off said flag.

Its been suggested that a "red coloured flag" is impossible to have as a permanent structure on the moon because of said stresses. Even titanium plates will buckle in a matter of a few months, or the first solar flare. Amazingly, a blue coloured flag would be much simpler to implement.

The other suggestion was that the USA simply could not afford (from an ego perspective) to have China put up a visible from earth object on the moon. So they negotiated to put it on the dark side.

D0ZVNZRKxIg

There is absolutely no doubt to me that the flags the US planted on the moon are now bleached white, if not totally destroyed due to radiation (UV+) damage.

[JRSC00LUDE]

Came here expecting this to be about a dog.

[ZenOps]

I don't think China has the ability to produce materials that would be able to withstand those types of temperature and radiation variances for anything over a couple days, and still have it with movable joints. So I can imagine living creatures will not be happening for a few decades at least. Besides the idea that if you are heating the craft with nuclear decay, its probably not a good idea to have living tissue around.

I mean, there is literally no way around using six inches of lead to stop higher energy gamma.

USA always had an advantage in nuclear testing, including how much a human body could withstand.

[dirtsniffer]

Came here expecting this to be about a dog.

Looking for a thread for Chinese and dogs? Better check food and dining

[ZenOps]

If it was technically feasible, I'm sure China would try to land and launch a space hamster on the moon. As is, that would be about the right size considering they use 2 million pounds of fuel for the space shuttle to break earths orbit. I can imagine a one pound hamster at 1/6th gravity would take less than two tons of fuel and supporting rocketship.

[JRSC00LUDE]

I don't think China has the ability to produce materials that would be able to withstand those types of temperature and radiation variances for anything over a couple days, and still have it with movable joints. So I can imagine living creatures will not be happening for a few decades at least. Besides the idea that if you are heating the craft with nuclear decay, its probably not a good idea to have living tissue around.

I mean, there is literally no way around using six inches of lead to stop higher energy gamma.

USA always had an advantage in nuclear testing, including how much a human body could withstand.

Yeah well maybe they shouldn't call it Rover then. So much disappoint.

[ZenOps]

China likes to be second. Let the guy who goes first spend $150 Billion, and get the momentary glory. If its one thing that China really doesn't care about its being second, especially if they can save $149 Billion, just so as long as they are not the "last" nation, which usually gets bombed to hell. Second is a very safe and steady place to be, I mean - you don't even have to lie about anything - because you came in second but still got 99% of the benefit of it.

Lets not forget, Christopher Columbus found the USA under the flag of the Spanish. Ultimately the Spanish got put behind the wall in Mexico.

USA highest debt per capita in raw dollars. If I had to guess: China has not even thought about putting a living organism on the moon because they do not want to be first.

Canada? Top 15 (out of 200 nations) maybe. As long as we aren't at the bottom, and get invaded by the USA as a result. It works well.

[ZenOps]

My bad. They actually did manage to get living material to the moon:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-46873526

The fruit fly eggs will be the telling tale. Insects (especially roaches and scorpions) can withstand thousands of times more radiation than a human. But they can't survive the cold that well.

[D'z Nutz]

Came here expecting this to be about a dog.

Only way China is sending a dog to the moon is if astronauts order Chinese takeout.

[ZenOps]

https://phys.org/news/2019-01-china-moon-cotton-lunar-night.html

Pretty much impossible to keep a plant alive over the lunar night cycle. -170 Celsius to above freezing is not really something that is possible on a one ton craft with any sort of accuracy, especially considering next to no atmosphere. I'm sure they will try, but I can imagine its frozen vegetable time.

They will heat to -51 Celsius which should be enough to keep the electronics alive for at least three weeks.

[Sugarphreak]

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