Just taking a quick break to post this. China’s Chang’e 3 spacecraft has just made a soft landing on the surface of the Moon on Bay of Rainbows or somewhere near the outside of it. After landing they have deployed the solar arrays and are now checking out instrument health. A rover will be rolled onto the lunar surface on Tuesday. The landing took place at 1840 hrs IST.
Interestingly, the commentator didn’t seem to be ready for the landing. It powered itself down from 100 meter where it selected autonomously a landing site. As the commentator waited for it to begin the hover at the 30 m mark, he just said, “Chang’e 3 has landed”. Quite undramatic!
Parallel Spirals 