After a record-setting 31 months on the moon’s surface, China’s Jade Rabbit lunar rover officially ended its mission. According to Chinese officials, the unmanned rover powered down on July 28, ceasing all operations
Before entering hibernation mode, Jade Rabbit, or Yutu in Chinese, posted a final goodbye on Weibo, a Twitter-like website.
“I’m a rabbit that has seen the most stars!” the post said.
Jade Rabbit arrived on the moon on December 14, 2013, aboard the Chang-e 3 lander. The names of the lunar lander and rover are rooted in Chinese mythology. Chang’e is the name of a mythical Chinese goddess who is said to live on the moon. Yutu was her pet rabbit.
In its 972 operational days, Jade Rabbit snapped photos and collected samples with its powerful cameras, telescopes, and radar. The data it gathered helped scientists better understand how the moon has evolved over time. Now that its mission is complete, Jade Rabbit will remain on the moon.
The rover far exceeded engineers’ expectations. It was designed to operate for just three months, but Jade Rabbit continued to collect and transmit data for more than two-and-a-half years.
The rover’s stay on the moon was more than three times longer than the previous record, set by the former Soviet Union’s Lunohkod 1, in 1970.
Also Read: Mehbooba Mufti meets PM Modi