(CNN) —China National Space Administration (CNSA).Its English acronym) released this Thursday, a photo taken by an autonomous robot's camera of its Song 6 lunar lander on the far side of the moon, according to state media.
The photograph was taken on June 3 by a “mobile camera” carried on the lunar surface on the side panel of Sange 6.
The autonomous camera “selects the shooting angle, forms the image, intelligently improves the image position, and finally captures a true third-person perspective image of the combination of the lander and the ascent module hidden on the surface of the moon,” the government said. Xinhua news agency reported.
Weighing around 5 kg, the camera is a microrobot capable of autonomous movement. It was designed by the Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation of the Fifth Academy of China, Xinhua reported.
After Chang'e-6 finished collecting its samples, the camera spread over the lunar surface, where it found a position where it could fire.
“In addition to taking beautiful photos of the Chang'e-6 lander and ascent module, the autonomous intelligent micromachine on the lunar surface also fulfills the task of verifying autonomous intelligent technology. The series of achievements of autonomous intelligent technology has been shortened and has a positive impact on future lunar science research,” Xinhua reported.
The Chang'e-6 lunar lander, loaded with lunar samples, lifted off from the far side of the moon at 7:38 a.m. local time on Tuesday.
