Picture of the Yutu-2 moon rover, taken by the Chang'e-4 lunar probe (Image: GETTY/NASA)
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spotted China’s lander and rover on the far side of the Moon. Chang’e 4 is exploring the floor of Von Kármán crater after landing on the Moon on January 3. The 110-mile-wide (180-kilometre) crater is in the southern hemisphere which never faces the Earth.
The Chang’e 4 mission includes a stationary lander and mobile rover, each carrying cameras and scientific instruments.
The two vehicles were built as spares for China’s Chang’e 3 mission, which was the first Chinese lunar lander, touching down on the near side of the moon in December 2013.
Chinese officials repurposed Chang’e 4 with new scientific instruments and sent it to the far side of the moon.
A communications satellite launched by China last year relays signals between Earth and Chang’e 4.
