--- title: "See China’s Lunar Rover Set Off Across the Far Side of the Moon" description: "Chang'e-4 has sent back new photos of its lunar rover, the Yutu 2, setting off on a long journey across the far side of the Moon." date: "2019-01-04" modified: "2019-01-04" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/china-lunar-rover-change-4-far-side-moon-photos" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Moon" - "Space" tags: - "chang'e 4" - "china space program" - "far side" - "moon" --- # See China’s Lunar Rover Set Off Across the Far Side of the Moon ![]() *\Image: CSNA\* ## Roll Out Earlier this week, Chinese lunar probe Chang'e-4 made history by becoming the first spacecraft to ever [land on the far side of the Moon]() — the less-studied, mountainous half that faces away from the Earth. Yesterday, we were blessed with a [number of new high-resolution images](), courtesy of China's National Space Administration, showing the more mysterious side of the Moon in all its glory. The pictures had to make their way through a special relay satellite called Queqiao since radio communication with the far side of the Moon is far more difficult. Chang'e-4 [launched]() on December 7 to explore the differences between the far, and near side of the Moon in terms of their mineral composition, and structure. It's also carrying a tiny biosphere containing a number of Earth-based species including potato plants and fruit flies. ![]() *Image Credit: CSNA* ![]() *Image Credit: CSNA* ## The Yutu 2 The pictures, taken by Chang'e-4's on-board cameras, show the Yutu 2 rover— China revealed that name [yesterday]() — rolling down tracks and leaving the Chang'e-4 lander behind. The rover is situated in the floor of the 115 mile wide (186 kilometers) Von Kármán Crater near the Moon's South Pole. Yutu 2 is the successor of the original Yutu rover that landed on the near side of the Moon back in December 2013 as part of the Chang'e-3 mission. Since the Chang'e-4 and accompanying rover were meant to be backups for their predecessors, the [designs are strikingly similar](). ![]() *Image Credit: CSNA* The image above shows Yutu 2's specialized wheels, designed to survive the treacherous, yet low-gravity conditions on the Moon's surface. ## Dark Side of the Moon? The term "Dark Side of the Moon" is a misnomer — the far side of the Moon receives quite a bit of light, just as much as its near side. As Space.com [points out](), the lunar day cycle lasts a much longer 709 hours — roughly 30 days on Earth. That means it will be light for half of that time, roughly two weeks. In fact, Chang'e-4 landed shortly after the sun rose on the far side, meaning it has roughly 14 Earth days of daylight ahead of it. And we can't wait to find out what the lander — and Yutu 2 — have in store for us. **READ MORE:** [Photos show Chinese lunar rover making tracks on the far side of the moon as it starts its historic exploration mission]() \[*Business Insider*\] ***More on Chang'e-4: [China Just Landed a Rover on the Far Side of the Moon]()*** ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()