Yutu enters hibernation again with its technical problems unresolved
Posted: Sun, Feb 23, 2014, 10:16 AM ET (1516 GMT)
China's Yutu lunar rover entered its third two-week hibernation period Saturday with technical problems that earlier appeared to jeopardize the mission unresolved, official media reported. The rover entered hibernation as lunar night began Saturday still suffering from unspecified "mechanical control issues that might cripple the vehicle," according to the Xinhua news agency. Those issues have not affected the rover's instruments, including radar, panoramic camera, and infrared imager, which are all working. However, the problems have apparently prevented the rover from moving, as the report indicated Yutu was limited to "fixed point observations" during the latest lunar day. Officials had reported the technical problems with the rover prior to going into hibernation last month, and problems establishing contact with the rover after that hibernation period ended two weeks ago led to reports that the rover had died. Yutu arrived on the Moon in December with the Chang'e-3 lander; that spacecraft also went into hibernation this weekend after carrying out observations with its instruments.
China's Yutu lunar rover entered its third two-week hibernation period Saturday with technical problems that earlier appeared to jeopardize the mission unresolved, official media reported. The rover entered hibernation as lunar night began Saturday still suffering from unspecified "mechanical control issues that might cripple the vehicle," according to the Xinhua news agency. Those issues have not affected the rover's instruments, including radar, panoramic camera, and infrared imager, which are all working. However, the problems have apparently prevented the rover from moving, as the report indicated Yutu was limited to "fixed point observations" during the latest lunar day. Officials had reported the technical problems with the rover prior to going into hibernation last month, and problems establishing contact with the rover after that hibernation period ended two weeks ago led to reports that the rover had died. Yutu arrived on the Moon in December with the Chang'e-3 lander; that spacecraft also went into hibernation this weekend after carrying out observations with its instruments.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
NASA IG cites overconfidence and unrealistic schedules for Starliner woes
Posted: Sat, Jul 4 8:11 PM ET (0011 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, July 11
Philippines looks to space for bird’s-eye view of South China Sea threats
South China Morning Post — 12:57 am ET (0457 GMT) Space Force officially has its own weapon for taking out satellites
Task & Purpose — 12:57 am ET (0457 GMT) A Jupiter-size planet that escaped its star’s death
Ars Technica — 12:50 am ET (0450 GMT) Space Force aligns for wartime footing with third tranche of PAEs
US Space Force — 12:47 am ET (0447 GMT) Parabilis tests propulsion system for maneuverable cubesats
Space News — 12:43 am ET (0443 GMT) |
