Last year, a cosmic enigma left scientists perplexed: an object of human origin collided with the dark side of the Earth. Moonawakening a mystery that intrigues the scientific community.
Now, more recent analyzes reveal that this enigmatic artifact would, in fact, be a Chinese Long March 5 rocket, accompanied by a previously unknown additional component.
A space mystery
Renowned researchers from institutions such as the University of Arizona, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the Pluto Project, thoroughly investigated the object’s trajectory.
Through investigations, it was discovered that the Chinese rocket, responsible for launching the Chang’e 5-T1 mission in 2014, was possibly carrying something else.
Detailed analyzes revealed a complex gravitational dance of the rocket as it headed towards the lunar surface.
Tanner Campbell, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arizona, explains that the oscillations were extremely coordinated, indicating a connection with a considerable counterweight.
Image: NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University/Reproduction
One of the intriguing revelations is that the abandoned stage of rocket it had a notable oscillation, despite its structure being predominantly hollow, with heavy engines on one side.
The controlled rotation suggests the presence of a counterweight weighing approximately 544 kilograms to balance the engines, leaving experts intrigued about the nature of this unknown element.
The collision in Moon resulted in the formation of a double crater, one in the east, 18 meters in diameter, and the other in the west, 16 meters in diameter.
This symmetry in dimensions suggests that both objects had similar masses, raising the question about the function and identity of the rocket’s companion object.
The researchers say this coupled component remains a mystery. Speculation concerns the possibility of it being an additional support structure or some extra instrumentation.
However, the true nature of this element remains defiantly elusive, leaving scientists in search of answers to this intriguing lunar enigma.
