China’s rover having problems

 

China’s Moon Rover, Jade Rabbit, Has Broken Down
[Via D-brief]

In Chinese astrology, the rabbit represents hope. And scientists in China are holding out hope that the country’s moon rover, Yutu (Jade Rabbit), can be repaired after it experienced a mechanical control abnormality Saturday.

The abnormality occurred before the rover entered its second scheduled dormancy period — when the rover shuts down while on the dark side of the moon — early Saturday morning U.S. time, according to Xinhua news agency. The mechanical problem occurred due to a “complicated lunar surface environment,” China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) told Xinhua. It’s unclear how serious the malfunction is, or what specifically occurred, since SASTIND offered limited information about the problem.

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It may come back up but it is still an amazing achievement.