China's Yutu-2 Lunar Rover Celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival with Fresh Images from the Moon's Far Side

fresh images from the moon's far side. This special delivery coincides with the festival's tradition of gazing at the full moon.

Yutu-2, also known as Jade Rabbit-2, has been diligently exploring the lunar surface since its landing in January 2019. It has now traveled an impressive 1,613 meters, making it the longest-working lunar rover in the world.

This remarkable rover has far exceeded its designed lifespan of three months, accumulating nearly 5 years and 9 months of operational time. Recently, it completed its 71st lunar day of work and transmitted new images back to Earth.

Yutu-2's contributions extend beyond exploration. It has gathered valuable geological information about the Chang'e-4 landing area, including data on the surface morphology, shallow structure, and material composition. This information provides crucial insights into the geological evolution and early history of the moon's crust.

China's lunar exploration program continues to thrive. In addition to Yutu-2, both the Chang'e-3 and Chang'e-4 landers remain active on the moon. The relay satellites, Queqiao and Queqiao-2, also maintain their operations in lunar orbit.

Looking ahead, the Chang'e-7 mission, planned for around 2026, is progressing smoothly. This mission aims to search for evidence of water ice at the lunar south pole. If successful, it would mark a historic achievement, making Chang'e-7 the first mission to land on the lunar south pole. This accomplishment would pave the way for long-term human presence on the moon and future exploration of deep space, including Mars.