Yutu (Jade Rabbit), China's moon rover, and its lander the Chang'e-3 have "awakened" from their two-week period of dormancy designed for survival through the harsh climatic conditions of the lunar night.
According to a statement issued by the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) on Sunday, Yutu was awakened automatically at 5:09 a.m. Beijing Time Saturday, and has completed the required setting procedures. It is now in its normal working mode following BACC and has resumed roving around the moon's surface and performing its scientific missions.
Chang'e, on the other hand, was automatically awakened at 8:21 a.m. Beijing Time Sunday and like Yutu, is now in normal working mode, according to the BACC statement.
It should be remembered that Chang'e soft-landed on the moon's Sinus Iridium, otherwise known as the Bay of Rainbows on Dec. 14 last year, after which Yutu separated from the lander. Yutu fell asleep on December 26 when the mission's first lunar night started.
A lunar night is equivalent to 14 days on Earth. During this time the temperature on the moon dives to below -180 °C. There is no available sunlight during this period to charge the instruments' solar panels. According to Zhou Jianliang, BACC chief engineer, the lander and the rover were in power-off mode and communication with Earth was cut off all throughout the lunar night.
Zhou further said that when the lunar night ends and with the sunlight back, both lander and rover will be started up with the power from sunlight and again begin operation and communication following preset programs.
This awakening of the rover and lander after the lunar night marks an important accomplishment in Chinese space technology in surviving the lunar night.