A giant leap in orbital imagery is what we need to realize advanced Moon missions
A giant leap in orbital imagery is what we need to realize advanced Moon missions
On 19 September 2024 Orbital Maneuver OM-87 plan for raising perilune of Chandrayaan 2 Orbiter (CH2O) was modified to avoid the potential close conjunction risks with Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) around 1st October, 2024. The tentative plan for the next manoeuvre OM-88 scheduled on 1st October, 2024 was also adjusted to avoid post manoeuvre conjunctions with other lunar orbiters (KPLO, LRO).
Source: https://www.isro.gov.in/media_isro/pdf/Monthly_summary/Monthly_Summary_September2024.pdf
In August 2024, planned Orbital Maneuver OM-86 for apolune reduction and circularization of Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter (CH2O) was modified to avoid the potential close conjunction risks with Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) around 15-16 August 2024.
Source: https://www.isro.gov.in/media_isro/pdf/Monthly_summary/Monthly_Summary_August2024_Eng.pdf
In July 2024 two close approaches between Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter and other lunar orbiters resolved through inter-agency coordination.
• Close approaches with and NASA's Lunar reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) on 12 July
• Potential close conjunction risk with Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) on 25 July
Source: https://www.isro.gov.in/media_isro/pdf/Monthly_summary/Monthly_Summary_July2024Eng.pdf
Yet another conjunction event avoided between Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter and South Korean lunar orbiter KPLO.
"The risks associated with close conjunctions of CH2O and KPLO on May 24, 2024 were mitigated by coordination with KARI team. Two orbit maintenance maneuvers (OM-83 and OM-84) were executed for CH2O."
Lunar orbit is getting crowdy and orbiters have had to frequently perform conjunction avoidance manoeuvres.
South Korea's KPLO has also imaged Chandrayaan-3 Vikram landing site on 27 August 2023.
New #KPLO #Danuri images. The bottom right images were taken with PolCam, a polarimetric frame camera, the rest with LUTI, a push-broom camera
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RT @kari2030
다누리, 달에서 임무 수행 이상 無!
📷사진 설명
상단 왼쪽부터 시계방향으로
1. 고해상도카메라로 촬영한 치올콥스키 크레이터 영상
2.고해상도카메라로 촬영한 슈뢰딩거 계곡 영상
3. 편광카메라로 촬영한 비흐만 크레이터 편광 영상
4.고해상도카메라로 촬영한 실라르드 엠 크레이터 영상
https://twitter.com/kari2030/status/1646007630207528960
First image at lunar South Pole taken by ShadowCam on #KPLO #Danuri. ShadowCam is like the LROC NAC on NASA LRO but can see inside shadows
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RT @bwdenev
We can now see inside the permanently shadowed regions at the Moon at better than 2 m/pixel with ShadowCam. The first image (of Shackleton crater) promises many beautiful views to come. http://shadowcam.sese.asu.edu/images/1284
https://twitter.com/bwdenev/status/1612552136235298816
#KPLO EME reflection (0:00) and downlink (0:37). The EME reflection is pretty loud as I'm listening with LHCP while the RHCP downlink from the spacecraft is attenuated by around 20dB due opposite polarization sense. You can see Doppler uplink compensation in action.
Another trip to the roof and switched polarization to LHCP to improve the lunar reflection SNR.
Doing so really improved the performance on the fast Doppler uplink compensated signal from DSS56 as it communicates with #KPLO.
Moon bounce (EME) of #KPLO's uplink signal.
This isn't a DSN station so most likely Korea Deep Space Antenna (KDSA) as it doesn't appear to use Doppler uplink compensation like the DSN does.
Tonight's testing with #KPLO had me visit the roof and remove my 2195-2305MHz bandpass filter.
Here's DSN Madrid's DSS56 lunar reflection as it uplinks to KPLO.
The fluctuations in the signal is called Libration Fading and is caused by the Moon's rough surface.
Wow! And wow!
Images of #Earth from the #Moon captured by #Danuri, the first mission of #SouthKorea.
W-O-W!
#KPLO #Danuri Earthrise photos!
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RT @kari2030
#달 상공에서 #다누리 가 보낸 인증샷📷✨
이 사진은 다누리에 탑재된 고해상도 카메라(LUTI)를 이용해 촬영하였으며, 달 크레이터들과 지구의 모습을 선명하게 확인할 수 있습니다.
📷사진 설명
1)12월 24일 달 상공 344km에서 촬영한 사진
2)12월 28일 달 상공 124km에서 촬영한 사진
https://twitter.com/kari2030/status/1610097598953828354
Goldstone sending commands to #KPLO.
These are echoed back via the transponder...
#KPLO data on JPL Horizons has been updated. Here's the summary of the tracking data to date.
The spacecraft appears to be switching off prior to lunar occultation now. 🧵⬇️
Nice signals from #KPLO this evening. Goldstone lock and some normal goings on afterwards.
Soon I'll reply to the poll about last night's KPLO mystery so heads up!