The "Jade Rabbit" Picture: AFP PHOTO/Peter PARKS
On Monday, December 1, 2013, China will launch its first moon rover mission. The rover, named “Yutu” or “Jade Rabbit,” is set to blast off 1:30 AM from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province. The name is derived from the ancient Chinese myth about a white rabbit that lives on the moon as the pet of Chang’e, the lunar goddess who consumed an immortality pill. The Chinese believe that their origins are represented by the marks left on the moon’s landscape. For example, the black areas on the moon are where the moon palace, osmanthus trees, and a jade rabbit are found.
The “Jade Rabbit” is equipped with several technological breakthroughs, including its autonomous navigation system and wheels that can grip the moon’s powdery surface. It can also climb inclines up to 30 degrees and travel 200 meters per hour.
Although China is still straggling behind the US and Soviet Union in the Space Race, China is catching up quickly to its counterparts. By 2020, China hopes to create a permanent space station and eventually send an astronaut to the moon.
For more information, please click on the following link http://www.enca.com/technology/china-launch-maiden-moon-mission
-Rachel Chung
The “Jade Rabbit” is equipped with several technological breakthroughs, including its autonomous navigation system and wheels that can grip the moon’s powdery surface. It can also climb inclines up to 30 degrees and travel 200 meters per hour.
Although China is still straggling behind the US and Soviet Union in the Space Race, China is catching up quickly to its counterparts. By 2020, China hopes to create a permanent space station and eventually send an astronaut to the moon.
For more information, please click on the following link http://www.enca.com/technology/china-launch-maiden-moon-mission
-Rachel Chung
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