An astronomer discovered that a space junk will likely to have an unexpected crash on the moon.
Several reports have been blaming SpaceX for this, but the astronomer noted that the space junk actually came from a Chinese rocket.
Astronomer Discovers That A Space Junk Will Crash Into The Moon
According to CNET, in early February, amateur astronomer Bill Gray speculated that a space junk is on its way to crash on a crater into the lunar surface, adding that the said object was most likely a debris of a SpaceX rocket that had launched in 2015.
Space archaeologists were ecstatic, but others expressed concern about the expanding menace of space trash.
To further emphasize, the Catalina Sky Survey first found the rogue object on March 14, 2015, and classified it as a near-Earth asteroid. The study employs satellites based at Arizona's Steward Observatory to examine the sky for pebbles orbiting our planet, most of which would be dangerous.
"WE0913A" was the object's name according to the survey.
Gray soon recognized the object as the second stage of the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCVR) satellite, which was sent into orbit by NASA and NOAA. So it remained for another seven years, until Gray released his initial post warning that the object was on its way to the moon.
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For those unfamiliar, DSCOVR (Deep Space Climate Observatory) is an American space weather station that studies solar wind variations and provides space weather alerts and predictions for geomagnetic storms that might impair power grids, satellites, telecommunications, aviation, and GPS.
DSCOVR is orbiting Earth approximately a million miles away in a unique place known as Lagrange point 1, which permits it to hang in between Sun and our planet.
Every two hours, the EPIC camera on board the spaceship captures a distinct picture of Earth, adding that the EPIC camera also records solar eclipses and the Moon when it passes across DSCOVR and the Earth.
Is SpaceX Rocket To Blame?
Despite the fact that some report stated that it is SpaceX to blame, Cnet clarified that Gray made an update on Feb. 12 after reviewing historical data, clarifying that the object is unlikely to be a SpaceX rocket. With the said update, the said space object appears to be a rocket stage from China's Chang'e 5-T1 moon mission, which was launched in 2014.
The goal of the mentioned mission was to orbit the moon, adding that the Chinese rocket closely resembles the data.
The booster is unaffected by Earth's sole natural satellite. It is projected to collide with Hertzsprung crater on the moon's far side. The celestial collision will not be visible, but moon-orbiting spacecraft may be able to see it in the future.
Gunter Space Page explained that Chang'e 5-T1 is a Chinese lunar sample return mission that is a forerunner to Chang'e 5. The purpose is to test the reentry vehicle's technology.
Experiments exposing microbes and plants to the radiation environment beyond low earth orbit are also carried aboard the spacecraft. In certain media outlets, its return capsule was dubbed "Xiaofei."
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