China’s Jade Rabbit Animation

Here is an animation of the China’s current moon mission. Chang’e 3 is a lunar exploration mission operated by China National Space Administration, incorporating a robotic lander and a rover. Chang’e 3 successfully launched on 1st December.

It will be China’s first lunar rover, and the first spacecraft in 37 years to make a soft landing on the Moon, since the Soviet Luna 24 mission in 1976. It is named after Chang’e, the goddess of the Moon in Chinese mythology, and is a follow-up to the Chang’e 1 and Chang’e 2 lunar orbiters.