The Jade Rabbit 2 rover surpasses the Soviet Union’s Lunokhod 1 with a lunar surface operation time of over 11 months.
The Jade Rabbit 2 rover, along with the Chang’e 4 lander, landed in the Von Kármán crater measuring 186 km wide on January 3, 2019, making China the first country to successfully land on the far side of the Moon. This rover will continue its operations in the future.
The Jade Rabbit 2 rover, the new “record holder” on the Moon. (Image: Space).
As of now, the Jade Rabbit 2 has traveled over 11 months and covered approximately 345 meters. This distance may seem short—an average person could walk it in just a few minutes. However, for a solar-powered rover, traversing this distance poses significant challenges.
The previous record for lunar surface operation time belonged to the Soviet Union’s Lunokhod 1. This was the first remotely operated rover to land on another celestial body in space.
Lunokhod 1 operated in the Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains) from November 17, 1970. It officially ceased operations after about 10.5 months, on October 4, 1971, coinciding with the 14th anniversary of the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. Lunokhod 1 traveled 10.5 km on the lunar surface and sent back to Earth over 20,000 regular photographs and more than 200 panoramic images.
Earlier this month, the Jade Rabbit 2 and Chang’e 4 lander completed their tasks for the 12th lunar day and entered sleep mode, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center. The Moon takes about 29 days to complete one rotation on its axis, meaning a lunar day lasts nearly a month on Earth.
To date, the Jade Rabbit 2 has been operational for nearly 5 years and 9 months, far exceeding its original design lifespan of 3 months, having traveled 1,613 meters on the lunar surface. This rover recently completed its 71st workday on the Moon and sent back new images to Earth on September 17.
During its operational time, the Jade Rabbit 2 has gathered valuable geological information, including data on surface morphology, shallow structure, and material composition at the landing site. It has also contributed important scientific data related to the geological evolution and early development of the Moon’s crust.
Tracks on the Moon photographed by the Jade Rabbit 2 rover. (Image: CCTV Plus).
In addition to the Jade Rabbit 2, the Chang’e 3 and Chang’e 4 landers are also still operational on the Moon. Communication relay satellites, Queqiao and Queqiao 2, continue to operate in lunar orbit, according to Zuo Wei, deputy designer of the ground application system for the Chang’e 4 mission.
Queqiao has facilitated communication between the Chang’e 4 and the Jade Rabbit 2. Meanwhile, Queqiao 2 has completed its work with Chang’e 6 and is currently conducting scientific research while awaiting Chang’e 7.
The Chang’e 7 mission, expected to launch around 2026, is progressing smoothly, according to Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program. The main objective of this mission is to search for evidence of water ice at the Moon’s south pole.
If successful, Chang’e 7 will become the first mission in the world to land at the Moon’s south pole, paving the way for a long-term human presence on this celestial body. Wu noted that this will also open doors for future deep space exploration, including Mars.
