China’s lunar rover alive, but still crippled

Chang'e-3 lunar lander

Yutu, China's moon rover, snapped this undated image of the Chang'e-3 lunar lander. The lander is operating normally, but the rover still suffers from mechanical issues.

Xinhua/SASTIND

The mechanical issues that crippled China’s lunar rover persisted as the rover fell into a planned slumber on February 23.

The rover, Yutu, is transmitting signals, and its cameras and radar are functioning. But mission controllers are struggling to maneuver the rover. In the 10 days since Yutu’s dramatic reawaking, the rover has only been able to perform observations from a fixed point, according to a Chinese state media report

A problem with the rover was first announced on January 25. Chang’e 3, the lunar lander that carried Yutu to the moon, continues to operate normally. Both the lander and rover are currently in a planned sleep. Mission controllers will try again to restore full function to Yutu in roughly two weeks.

Ashley Yeager is the associate news editor at Science News. She has worked at The Scientist, the Simons Foundation, Duke University and the W.M. Keck Observatory, and was the web producer for Science News from 2013 to 2015. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a master’s degree in science writing from MIT.