When Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen embarks on the Artemis 2 mission, part of his duties will involve observing the far side of the moon, which remains hidden from Earth’s view. Meanwhile, scientists on Earth are closely monitoring these observations as they plan to deploy telescopes and robots to explore this mysterious region.
The far side of the moon, often referred to as the dark side, is actually illuminated by sunlight just like the side facing Earth. It features a rugged, crater-covered terrain in contrast to the near side, which boasts expansive flat plains known as “Maria.” This side of the moon is shielded from Earth’s artificial radio interference, making it an attractive location for astronomers to set up radio telescopes.
The only way to observe the far side of the moon is through spacecraft, providing Hansen with a rare opportunity to witness sights unseen by many since the Apollo era. Unlike the Apollo astronauts who orbited close to the surface and only saw the equatorial regions, Hansen will travel 7,500 kilometers beyond the moon, offering a unique vantage point of both Earth and the moon simultaneously.
During the Artemis mission’s lunar flyby, the crew will make detailed visual observations of the lunar surface, leveraging the human eye’s ability to discern subtle variations that cameras might overlook. These observations are crucial for assessing ground conditions that could impact future spacecraft landings.
Among the proposed missions to the far side is Japan’s TSUKUYOMI, a Lunar Meter Wave Telescope project that aims to place radio dishes on the lunar far side to study the early universe during the dark ages. By detecting faint radio signals from this era, researchers hope to unravel the mysteries surrounding dark matter’s influence on the evolution of the universe.
Various initiatives, such as LuSEE Night and Farside Seismic Suite, are set to complement TSUKUYOMI’s efforts by deploying additional radio observatories on the moon. Both NASA and ESA are also in the initial stages of developing lunar observatories with distinct objectives.
While human missions to the moon focus on establishing colonies and exploring water ice reserves at the south pole, their landing sites will maintain a direct line of sight with Earth for communication purposes. Conversely, the far side of the moon will host a multitude of robotic explorers peering into the depths of the universe and unraveling the mysteries of its origins.