Have you ever wondered about how the universe came into being? Or what were the conditions in the initial days after the formation of Earth? If you've got such questions and more, then Chinese scientists might be able to answer them soon with this new Moon mission.
The mission, approved by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' New Horizons Program, is called Discovering the Sky at the Longest Wavelengths (DSL) mission. According to media reports, the mission will involve sending 10 satellites to orbit around the Earth. The satellites will then pick different cosmic signals while blocking any electromagnetic interference that may be human caused.
Although it is difficult to collect signals near the Earth due to the presence of the ionosphere, a mother satellite will be orbiting the far side of the Moon while collecting data from the rest of the satellites.
According to media reports, this mission will cover various topics of study such including “astronomy, exploration, Earth science, heliophysics and exoplanet missions.” This mission is being led by Chen Xuelei of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
According to South China Morning Post, during the initial days of the Earth there was a “faint, stretched out, ultra-long wavelength light emitted by hydrogen atoms” created by the Big Bang which was the cause behind the formation of the universe.
Wu Ji, a senior Chinese space scientist told South China Morning Post, “The proposal is an innovative alternative to the much more costly and technically challenging route of setting permanent telescopes on the surface of the lunar far side.”
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