China's Yutu-2 rover delivered fresh moon images amid people celebrating the Harvest Moon Festival. . The lunar rover, launched in 2018, sent fresh images from the moon’s far side.
The Yutu-2, or Jade Rabbit-2, has now travelled 1,613 metres on the lunar surface. Since its landing in January 2019, it has become the longest-working lunar rover, far exceeding its initial three-month lifespan. The rover recently completed its 71st lunar day of work, transmitting new images back to Earth.

Yutu-2 was launched as part of the Chang'e-4 mission, named after the moon goddess Chang’e in Chinese folklore. Yutu, the mythical white rabbit, accompanies the goddess, symbolising the mission's deep cultural ties. Its mission has provided critical geological data on the moon’s surface and the Chang'e-4 landing site.

Yutu-2 Advances China's Expanding Lunar Exploration Program4

During its mission, Yutu-2 has collected essential data, advancing our understanding of lunar geology. It has provided valuable insights into the surface morphology, shallow structures, and material composition of the moon's far side. These findings contribute to our knowledge of the moon’s early evolution.

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China’s lunar exploration program continues to expand. The Chang'e-3 and Chang'e-4 landers remain operational, alongside relay satellites Queqiao and Queqiao-2. These satellites facilitate communication between Earth and the lunar missions, ensuring the successful transmission of data.

China's Upcoming Lunar Missions

Looking ahead, China’s lunar ambitions include the Chang’e-7 mission, slated for 2026. The mission aims to search for evidence of water ice at the lunar south pole. Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, has confirmed that preparations for this mission are progressing well.

If successful, Chang’e-7 would mark the world’s first landing at the lunar south pole. This achievement could pave the way for long-term human presence on the moon, creating new opportunities for deep space exploration, including Mars.