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NEW DELHI: A recent study has officially solved the mysterious incident on March 4, 2022, involving a crash on the moon. Scientists from the University of Arizona determined that a stray rocket from China, specifically a Long March 3C, reportedly collided with the moon’s far side.
The impact created a double crater approximately 95 feet (29 meters) wide near the Hertzsprung Crater, resolving the mystery of what occurred more than a year back.
Tanner Campbell, heading a team of astronomers from the University of Arizona’s Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, conducted a trajectory and spectroscopic analysis using data from ground-based telescopes.
At first, it seemed like the upper stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, responsible for launching the DSCOVR satellite in February 2015, could be the culprit based on initial observations. However, following more in-depth investigations, the astronomers determined that it was the Long March 3C rocket from China. The findings are detailed in the Planetary Science Journal.
Despite the University of Arizona group’s findings, Chinese officials have outrightly rejected the conclusion, arguing that the upper stage of the Long March 3C burned up in Earth’s atmosphere following the Chang’e 5-T1 launch.
Meanwhile, the US Space Command supports the study by the University of Arizona group, stating that the object did not re-enter Earth’s atmosphere.
“In this paper, we present a trajectory and spectroscopic analysis using ground-based telescope observations to show conclusively that WE0913A is the Long March 3C rocket body (R/B) from the Chang’e 5-T1 mission,” the researchers said.
The research goes on to analyze the light curve of the Chinese rocket, comparing it with thousands of simulated space objects and identifying distinctive characteristics.
The impact created a double crater approximately 95 feet (29 meters) wide near the Hertzsprung Crater, resolving the mystery of what occurred more than a year back.
Tanner Campbell, heading a team of astronomers from the University of Arizona’s Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, conducted a trajectory and spectroscopic analysis using data from ground-based telescopes.
At first, it seemed like the upper stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, responsible for launching the DSCOVR satellite in February 2015, could be the culprit based on initial observations. However, following more in-depth investigations, the astronomers determined that it was the Long March 3C rocket from China. The findings are detailed in the Planetary Science Journal.
Despite the University of Arizona group’s findings, Chinese officials have outrightly rejected the conclusion, arguing that the upper stage of the Long March 3C burned up in Earth’s atmosphere following the Chang’e 5-T1 launch.
Meanwhile, the US Space Command supports the study by the University of Arizona group, stating that the object did not re-enter Earth’s atmosphere.
“In this paper, we present a trajectory and spectroscopic analysis using ground-based telescope observations to show conclusively that WE0913A is the Long March 3C rocket body (R/B) from the Chang’e 5-T1 mission,” the researchers said.
The research goes on to analyze the light curve of the Chinese rocket, comparing it with thousands of simulated space objects and identifying distinctive characteristics.
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