AI photo? Chinese probe captured first ‘selfie’ on the dark side of the Moon; check out

China’s Chang’e-6 rover, which was first launched into space in early May 2024, only reached the far side of the Moon at 6:23 a.m. last Sunday (2). New information released recently states that: The lunar mission managed to take the first ‘selfie’ on the far side of the Moon, featuring the rover, its fins and the Chinese national flag.

The selfie was taken by the Chinese lander. It is equipped with innovative artificial intelligence technology responsible for turning it into a virtually autonomous vehicle. According to the mission’s research team, the purpose of Chang’e-6 is to validate the artificial intelligence technologies used to take selfies and enable them to operate without the need for a human controller.

According to the state newspaper China Space DailyAfter intensive lunar data collection, the lander was ‘released’ to capture the selfie. He first moved across the lunar surface to find the best angle; immediately, Its AI adjusted the composition of the image to be photographed and automatically sent it to scientists on Earth.

“But other systems on several Chang’e spacecraft and recent lunar probes developed by countries outside China may also have benefited from AI,” Quentin Parker, an astrophysicist at the University of Hong Kong, told South Africa’s China Morning Post (SCMP). .

Beyond the selfie on the dark side of the Moon: What is the purpose of Chang’e-6?

The mini lunar rover developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) weighs approximately 5 kilograms and It’s part of a mission to study the lunar surface before sending astronauts to the region. The Chinese space agency’s goal is to build a lunar base for crew members by 2028, but before that it needs to send more complex missions such as Chang’e-7 and Chang’e-8.

Some scientists disagree with the use of the term artificial intelligence because they argue that: This is an advanced automation technology, and other lunar vehicles from other nations have used similar technologies. In any case, Chang’e-6 needs to collect more information about the structure and properties of the lunar soil.

“The Chang’e-6 mission performed humanity’s first lunar sample return. Compared to the Chang’e-5 mission, which sent advanced samples to the Moon in 2020, it has many engineering innovations, high risks and great challenges. “The E-6 mission broke new ground in retrograde orbit design and lunar control technology.” In a document from the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

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