Fate of Chinese lunar rover Yutu unclear
Posted: Wed, Feb 12, 2014, 2:02 PM ET (1902 GMT)
Despite news reports that China's lunar rover, Yutu, failed to survive the lunar night, other reports indicated that engineers had not given up on the rover. A brief, cryptic report attributed to China Daily published early Wednesday stated that the rover "could not be restored to full function on Monday as expected" as the Sun rose above the site on the lunar surface where the rover and the Chang'e-3 lander have been since December. The report was interpreted by some in the Western media that the rover's mission was over. However, another report in the Chinese publication Global Times stated that the rover is "getting better" and showing "some signs of awakening" after the two-week lunar night. Prior to nightfall, Chinese officials expressed concern about the rover, saying that unspecified technical problems with it could cause its mission to end. An official update is expected in the coming days, according to the Global Times report.
Despite news reports that China's lunar rover, Yutu, failed to survive the lunar night, other reports indicated that engineers had not given up on the rover. A brief, cryptic report attributed to China Daily published early Wednesday stated that the rover "could not be restored to full function on Monday as expected" as the Sun rose above the site on the lunar surface where the rover and the Chang'e-3 lander have been since December. The report was interpreted by some in the Western media that the rover's mission was over. However, another report in the Chinese publication Global Times stated that the rover is "getting better" and showing "some signs of awakening" after the two-week lunar night. Prior to nightfall, Chinese officials expressed concern about the rover, saying that unspecified technical problems with it could cause its mission to end. An official update is expected in the coming days, according to the Global Times report.
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