Main Engine Cut OffAmateur Observers Searching for Chang’e 4 Find Nothing
Scott Tilley with a really interesting and very detailed post about the search for Chang’e 4:
Xinhua reported today that Chang’e 4 entered lunar orbit at about 08:39 UTC on Dec 12th. No amateur observers reported observing the event; however, three highly competent amateur observers in Europe shared observations hours after the lunar orbit insertion burn was executed. No evidence of a signal from Chang’e 4 has been noted since my loss of signal earlier on Dec 12th. I later conducted similar observations and searched around the Moon for the signal and found nothing we can relate to Chang’e 4. Only signals from Chang’e 5T-1 and Queqiao where noted.
He leaves us with a few theories towards the end of the post, but this doesn’t seem like a good sign.