spacetoday.net: Yutu rover awakes from dormancy but with continued technical problems

Posted: Mon, Mar 17, 2014, 6:50 AM ET (1050 GMT)
Yutu on surface (Xinhua)

China's Yutu lunar rover awoke late last week still suffering from the same mechanical problems that have plagued the rover since January, Chinese officials said. Contact with the rover was restored at 6:42 pm EDT Thursday (2042 GMT Thursday, 6:42 am Friday Beijing time) after the rover hibernated through the two-week lunar night. Official Chinese media said that while the rover's instruments continue to function normally, "control issues" with the rover that apparently keep it from moving persist. Officials first indicated there were mechanical problems with the rover in late January, and a delayed recovery of rover communications last month after a previous hibernation period led to initial reports that the rover suffered a fatal malfunction. The cause of the rover's mechanical problems is unknown. Yutu landed on the Moon on December as part of the Chang'e-3 lander, which continues to operate normally.