Astronomers believe that the Chinese rocket that crashed into the moon in 2022 carried something mysterious. New research reveals the mystery of the double crater and possible strange cargo.
In February 2022, astronomers were able to get a closer look at the debris from a rocket that crashed onto the far side of the moon.
This event attracted the attention of researchers, as the initial assumptions turned out to be incorrect. Instead of a SpaceX Falcon 9 stage, experts discovered it was apparently a Chinese Chang’e 5-T1 rocket.
Launched in 2014, the rocket conducted a test run for a future mission to collect some of the lunar regolith. However, according to the latest data, its mysterious cargo has become the object of new scientific research.
Space debris researcher Bill Gray and his team have proposed a unique explanation for the formation of a double crater on the moon. Apparently the rocket was carrying something that made it behave strangely upon impact with the moon’s surface.
First author of the study Tanner Campbell noted that objects in space are exposed to the gravity of the Earth and moon, as well as sunlight. The rocket was expected to wobble, but surprisingly it tumbled steadily.
According to Campbell, “It was just a somersault from start to finish, in a very stable way.”
Researchers speculate that this unusual feature could be an additional support structure or equipment on the rocket.
However, despite the intriguing nature of this discovery, the essence of the mysterious cargo remains a mystery.
Campbell said: “We obviously have no idea what it could have been – perhaps an additional support structure, or additional equipment, or something else. We’ll probably never know.”
