As the Mid-Autumn Festival unfolds, China’s Yutu-2 lunar rover has provided a delightful surprise by sending back new images from the moon’s far side. Since landing in January 2019, Yutu-2 has traveled 1,613 meters, earning the title of the longest-working lunar rover in history.
Launched as part of the Chang’e-4 mission in December 2018, Yutu-2, named after the mythical white rabbit from Chinese folklore, has significantly exceeded its intended lifespan of three months. It has now operated for nearly 5 years and 9 months, completing its 71st lunar day of work.
Throughout its mission, Yutu-2 has collected valuable geological data on the surface morphology and material composition of its landing area, contributing to our understanding of the moon’s geological evolution.
In addition to Yutu-2, both the Chang’e-3 and Chang’e-4 landers remain active, supported by China’s relay satellites, Queqiao and Queqiao-2. These satellites facilitate communication between the lunar missions and continue to conduct scientific exploration.
Looking ahead, the Chang’e-7 mission, planned for around 2026, aims to search for water ice at the lunar south pole. If successful, it will mark a significant step toward enabling long-term human presence on the moon and advancing future deep space exploration, including missions to Mars.
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