The United States and China talk about exploring the moon, says Nasa | Science and health

The head of scientific activities at the University of São Paulo, in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Thomas Zurbuchen, of NASA, announced on Twitter (18) that the US agency had "talked to China" to make satellite observations of the Chinese satellite Chang & # 39; e 4 landing on the hidden side of the moon January 3rd. [19659006] On Monday, the deputy director of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, Wu Yanhua, said at a press conference that China had given NASA the latitude, longitude, and longitude. expected time of the probe landing, so that could observe this historic event with its satellite Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).

NASA, for its part, provided u the expected orbit of the LRO. Finally, the satellite can not be in the right place at the right time.

The US agency said in a statement that it wished to observe the cloud of dust caused by the impact of the landing with the help of an instrument mounted on the satellite.

"For various reasons, NASA has not been able to adjust the ORL's orbit so that it is in an optimal position to observe the landing, but the NASA is still interested in cloud detection long after the landing, "he said. the agency said.

Lunar Orbit Station Plans

This type of observation is useful for future US missions, as Washington wants to return probes and, eventually, astronauts to the Moon. NASA even plans to mount a station in lunar orbit until 2026.

The US satellite will photograph the spacecraft Chang & # 39; e 4 on January 31, announced NASA, when to review it , as he had done for Chang & # 39; e 3 in 2013. [19659013] "NASA and the CNSA (Chinese Space Agency) agreed that any significant discovery resulting from this coordination should be made public by the community World Scientist "at a conference of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in Vienna from 11 to 22 February.

Since 2011, the US law prohibits any space cooperation with China involving "a transfer of technology, data or any information with implications for the economy or national security".

NASA stated that cooperation was conducted in accordance with "government and congressional guidelines" and was "transparent, reciprocal and mutually beneficial".

The cooperation could however go further, said Wu Weiren, principal ideologue of the Chinese lunar program, who badured that the United States called for "a few years" to extend China's operation from three to five years. The Queqiao satellite, launched in May 2018, allows devices on the far side of the moon to communicate with the Earth.

For more ambitious cooperation, such as China's long-term international base, "US restrictions will be a much tougher hurdle to overcome," Henry Hertzfeld, Director of Space Policy, told AFP. Institute of George Washington University.