Yutu (rover)
The Yutu or Jade Rabbit is a Chinese six wheeled rover vehicle built to travel on the Moon. It landed on the Moon in December 2013, and made its first trip on 14 December 2013.[1] It weighs 120 kg and can travel at a speed of 200 metres per hour.[1] It stopped moving after 42 days and stopped communicating after two years.
The Chinese landing on the Moon was the first soft landing since 1976.[1] It is part of China's Chang'e-3 space program which uses the Long March 3B rocket. The Jade Rabbit carries a range of scientific equipment including a radar system which will be able to examine the ground beneath the surface.[1]
The vehicle's name was picked on an online poll in China.[1] The Jade Rabbit comes from an old Chinese mythology story about the lunar goddess Chang'e, who had a pet rabbit.[1]
Yutu (rover) Media
Full scale mock-up of Yutu rover
- Chang'e-3 lunar landing site.jpg
The planned landing site was Sinus Iridum, a lava-filled crater 249 km (155 mi) in diameter. The actual landing took place on Mare Imbrium.
- Sinus Iridum, Chang'e 3 & Lunokhod 1 landing sites.png
LRO image of the landing site, which is close to the transition between light and dark maria
- Chang'e 3 landing site.png
LRO close-up image taken on 25 December 2013. The lander (large arrow) and rover (small arrow) can be seen.
Boulders near Ziwei crater photographed by the Yutu rover
