Chinese Jade Rabbit Lunar Rover Suffers Control Abnormality

China has been operating its lunar rover mission for a few months now without issue. The Chang'e-3 lander and Jade Rabbit rover have been on the surface of the moon since December 2013. China recently reported that its lunar rover had run into issues on the surface of the moon.

The vehicle has had a mechanical control abnormality. Chinese operators of the spacecraft are blaming the complicated lunar surface environment for the issues. The jade Rabbit malfunctioned before it went into a period of dormancy over the weekend.

Chinese scientists are working to make repairs and haven't explained the nature of the issue thus far. The sleep period for the Jade Rabbit was to last 14 days as the moon entered the lunar night period.

It's unclear at this point exactly how severe the issue is and if the mission is in jeopardy. Some are hailing China's openness with the rover issues. We will keep an ear to the ground for more information on the rover problems and potential fixes.

SOURCE: BBC