Chang'e 3 Photos: China's 1st Moon Lander & Rover Mission

By SPACE.com Staff | January 29, 2014 07:00am ET

China Chang'e 3 Moon Rover Yutu Deployed

China made history on Dec. 14, 2013 with the successful landing of its Chang'e 3 lander carrying the Yutu rover. The mission is the first soft-landing on the moon since 1976 and made China only the third country ever perform the lunar feat.

Above: China's lunar rover Yutu ("Jade Rabbit") is seen by a camera on the country's Chang'e 3 lander after both successfully landed on the moon together on Dec. 14, 2013.[China's 1st Lunar Rover Drives On the Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e-3, Yutu Rover Landing Site 5-Position Panorama

This image is a five-position 360-degree panorama of the Chang'e-3, Yutu Rover landing site created by Ken Kremer and Marco Di Lorenzo. It was stitched from individual pictures released to a state-run China news outlet. The initial panoramic was then enhanced to improve contrast, lighting and uniformity, which revealed more detail.

5-Position Panorama Shows Yutu Rover Movements

This is a cropped version of a five-position 360-degree panorama of the Chang'e-3, Yutu Rover landing site created by Ken Kremer and Marco Di Lorenzo. It was stitched from individual pictures released to a state-run China news outlet. The initial panoramic was then enhanced to improve contrast, lighting and uniformity, which revealed more detail.

Chang'e-3, Yutu from Above and Below Composite

This composite image shows Chang'e-3, Yutu Rover landing site created by Ken Kremer and Marco Di Lorenzo as well as an LRO orbital image taken by the LROC NAC camera showing correlating positions from orbit and the surface. The red bars show the approximate field of view of the Chang'e-3 lander panorama.

Yutu Rover Departs Landing Site in Time-Lapse Panoramic

This time-lapse, cropped panorama of the Chang'e-3, Yutu Rover landing site shows the last position of the Yutu rover as it heads off to the south, departing the landing site. The image was created by Ken Kremer and Marco Di Lorenzo using Chang'e 3 mission images released via China's state-run news outlets. [Read the Full Story behind the Image Here]

Chang'e-3, Yutu Rover Landing Site Panorama

This image is a 360-degree panorama of the Chang'e-3, Yutu Rover landing site created by Ken Kremer and Marco Di Lorenzo. It was stitched from six individual pictures released to a state-run China news outlet. The initial panoramic was then enhanced to improve contrast, lighting and uniformity, which revealed more detail. [Read the Full Story behind the Image Here]

Chang'e-3, Yutu Rover Time-Lapse Panoramic

This time-lapse 360-degree panorama of the Chang'e-3, Yutu Rover landing site shows how the Yutu rover moves by adding the rover at additional positions onto an existing panoramic image of the landing site. The imaging team matched Yutu positions to precisely match with the terrain at each exact location. The image was created by Ken Kremer and Marco Di Lorenzo using Chang'e 3 mission images released via China's state-run news outlets. [Read the Full Story behind the Image Here]

Chang'e 3 Moon Lander

Chang'e 3 Moon Lander is seen on Dec. 22, 2013. On January 10, 2014, the Chinese Academy of Sciences published photographs of the moon and Earth taken by the Chang'e 3 lander and Yutu rover during the period of Dec. 14-26, 2013. The Chinese spacecraft landed on the moon on Dec. 14, 2013.

Yutu Rover on the Moon

Yutu moon rover was photographed by the Chang'e 3 lander on Dec. 16, 2013. On January 10, 2014, the Chinese Academy of Sciences published photographs of the moon and Earth taken by the Chang'e 3 lander and Yutu rover during the period of Dec. 14-26, 2013. The Chinese spacecraft landed on the moon on Dec. 14, 2013.

Earth Seen From the Moon

The Earth is seen by Chang'e 3 spacecraft on the moon, Dec. 25, 2013. On January 10, 2014, the Chinese Academy of Sciences published photographs of the moon and Earth taken by the Chang'e 3 lander and Yutu rover during the period of Dec. 14-26, 2013. The Chinese spacecraft landed on the moon on Dec. 14, 2013.

China's Chang'e 3 Sees Stars from the Moon

This image shows stars in the night sky as seen from the moon by China's Chang'e 3 lunar lander, which is equipped with a lunar-based optical telescope.

Yutu Rover Rolls Out

The Yutu moon rover is seen on Dec. 22, 2013. On January 10, 2014, the Chinese Academy of Sciences published photographs of the moon and Earth taken by the Chang'e 3 lander and Yutu rover during the period of Dec. 14-26, 2013. The Chinese spacecraft landed on the moon on Dec. 14, 2013.

Moon 360-Degree Panorama (Color)

A 360-degree panorama shows the surroundings of the Chang'e 3 lander on Dec. 17-18, 2013. On January 10, 2014, the Chinese Academy of Sciences published photographs of the moon and Earth taken by the Chang'e 3 lander and Yutu rover during the period of Dec. 14-26, 2013. The Chinese spacecraft landed on the moon on Dec. 14, 2013.

Moon 360-Degree Panorama

The Yutu moon rover took this 360-degree panorama on Dec. 23, 2013. On January 10, 2014, the Chinese Academy of Sciences published photographs of the moon and Earth taken by the Chang'e 3 lander and Yutu rover during the period of Dec. 14-26, 2013. The Chinese spacecraft landed on the moon on Dec. 14, 2013.

Lunar Surface Seen by Chang'e 3 Lander

The lunar surface is seen by the Chang'e 3 lander on Dec. 18, 2013. On January 10, 2014, the Chinese Academy of Sciences published photographs of the moon and Earth taken by the Chang'e 3 lander and Yutu rover during the period of Dec. 14-26, 2013. The Chinese spacecraft landed on the moon on Dec. 14, 2013.

One of the First Test Images by Chang'e 3 Lander

This image is one of the first taken after landing by the Chang'e 3 moon lander on Dec. 15, 2013. On January 10, 2014, the Chinese Academy of Sciences published photographs of the moon and Earth taken by the Chang'e 3 lander and Yutu rover during the period of Dec. 14-26, 2013. The Chinese spacecraft landed on the moon on Dec. 14, 2013.

Moon Surface Seen From 320 Feet (99 Meters)

The Chang'e 3 spacecraft took this photograph of the moon's surface from a height of 320 feet (99 meters) before it landed. On January 10, 2014, the Chinese Academy of Sciences published photographs of the moon and Earth taken by the Chang'e 3 lander and Yutu rover during the period of Dec. 14-26, 2013. The Chinese spacecraft landed on the moon on Dec. 14, 2013.

Yutu Rover on Duty

China's Chang'e 3 lander transmits a look at the Yutu moon rover on duty.

Chang'e 3 Lander

China's Yutu moon rover snags a shot of its carrier lander.

Yutu Rover Carries APXS

China's Yutu rover carries the Active Particle-induced X-ray Spectrometer (APXS), taking its first X-ray fluorescence spectrum of the lunar regolith around the Chang'e 3 landing site on December 25, 2013.

China's Chang'e 3 On the Moon: Touchdown

This photo from China's Chang'e 3 lunar lander shows the landing site terrain on the moon after a successful Dec. 14, 2013 landing. This image was beamed live to Earth and broadcast by the state-run CNTV news channel. Chang'e 3 delivered the Yutu rover to the moon with its successful landing. [China Lands On Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

X-ray Fluorescent Spectrum of Lunar Regolith by APXS

First X-ray fluorescent spectrum of lunar regolith obtained by APXS instrument carried by China’s Yutu rover.

LRO Before and After Photos of Chang'e 3 Moon Lander Site

NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) side by side imagery shows before and after landing locale of China’s Change’3 mooncraft. [Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e 3 Landing Site by NASA's LRO

China's Chang'e 3 moon rover (large arrow) and rover (small arrow) are shown in this view from the LROC NAC instrument of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter just before lunar sunset on their first "day." Image released Dec. 30, 2013. [Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e 3 Lander Panorama

This panorama shows China's Chang'e 3 moon lander and its Yutu lunar rover shortly after it drove down the ramp to the surface. Yellow lines connect craters seen in the panorama and the LROC image (taken later after the rover had moved by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter). Red lines indicate approximate field of view of the panorama. Image released on Dec. 30, 2013. [Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e 3 Landing Site Map

This map shows the landing site of China's Chang'e 3 moon lander. [Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e 3 Landing Site Context Mosaic

China's Chang'e 3 moon landing site (large white arrow) is seen here in a context view from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The small white arrows indicate wrinkle ridge and small black arrows delimit boundary between "red" mare (northeast) and "blue" mare (southwest). This image is 100 km wide and was released Dec. 30, 2013. [Read the Full Story Here]

China Chang'e 3 Lander's 1st Moon Photo

The first photo of the moon by China's Chang'e 3 lunar lander is shown here in this still from a broadcast by the country's state-run CNTV news channel on Dec. 14, 2013. Chang'e 3 delivered the Yutu rover to the moon with its successful landing. [China Lands On Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

China's Yutu Rover on the Moon: Chang'e 3

China's moon rover Yutu ("Jade Rabbit") rolls down a ramp on the Chang'e 3 lander after touching down on the moon's Bay of Rainbows on Dec. 14, 2013. [China's 1st Lunar Rover Drives On the Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e 3 Landing Site by NASA's LRO

LROC NAC view of the Chang'e 3 lander (large arrow) and rover (small arrow) just before sunset on their first day of lunar exploration. LROC NAC M1142582775R, image width 576 m, north is up. [China Lands On Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e 3 Lander Panorama

Chang'e 3 lander panorama showing Yutu shortly after it drove down the ramp to the surface. Yellow lines connect craters seen in the panorama and the LROC image (taken at a later date after the rover had moved), red lines indicate approximate field of view of the panorama. [China Lands On Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

How China's Chang'e 3 Moon Rover Works (Infographic) -EMBED

China's Chang'e 3 moon lander carries a six-wheeled Yutu rover vehicle on its back. See how the Chang'e 3 moon rover mission works in this SPACE.com infographic.

Chang'e 3 Bay of Rainbows Moon Landing Site

This graphic shows the Bay of Rainbows landing site for China's Chang'e 3 lunar lander and Yutu moon rover in the moon's northern hemisphere on Dec. 14, 2013. [China's 1st Lunar Rover Drives On the Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e 3 Bay of Rainbows Landing Site

Chang'e 3 Landing Site Context Mosaic

LROC WAC context mosaic for the Chang'e 3 landing site (large white arrow); small white arrows indicate wrinkle ridge and small black arrows delimit boundary between "red" mare (northeast) and "blue" mare (southwest), image is 100 km wide. [China Lands On Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e 3 Landing Site in Color

LROC WAC color (689 nm, 415 nm, 321 nm) overlain on WAC sunset BW image. Note the proximity of the landing site to a contact between red and blue maria. [China Lands On Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e 3 Lands on the Moon

China's Chang'e 3 mission control team applauds after the successful landing of the Chang'e 3 lander carrying the Yutu rover on Dec. 14, 2013. This view is a still from a broadcast by the state-run CNTV. [China Lands On Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e 3 Lunar Lander and Moon Rover

The Chang'e 3 lunar lander and moon rover is part of the second phase of China's three-step robotic lunar exploration program. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Bay of Rainbows

The reported landing zone for Chang'e 3 mission, the Bay of Rainbows. The lander will deploy a heavily instrumented rover to reconnoiter the area. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Chang'e 3 On The Moon

China's Chang'e 3 spacecraft landed on the moon at 8:11 a.m. EST on Dec. 14, 2013. This graphic is a depiction of Chang'e 3 with solar arrays deployed overlaid on imagery of its target landing site on the moon's Bay of Rainbows. [China Lands On Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

China's Chang'e 3 Approaches the Moon

China's Chang'e 3 approaches the moon for a landing on Dec. 14, 2013 in this depiction of its descent engine burn. The spacecraft was targeted to land in the moon's Bay of Rainbows. Image still captured from state-run CNTV. [China Lands On Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

ESA Celebrates China Moon Landing

European Space Agency and China National Space Administration teams at the European Space Agency’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany celebrate Chang'e 3's lunar touchdown. ESA ground stations continue to monitor signals from China’s lander on the moon. [China Lands On Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

Yutu Rover Aboard Chang'e 3 Moon Lander

A camera on China's Chang'e lunar lander shows the Yutu rover in its carrier just before deployment to the lunar surface on Dec. 14, 2013. [China's 1st Lunar Rover Drives On the Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

Chang'e 3 Yutu Rover Deploys on the Moon

An artist's depiction of China's Yutu rover being deployed on the moon by the Chang'e 3 lunar lander is shown in this still image from a state-run CNTV TV broadcast. Chang'e 3 landed on the moon on Dec. 14, 2013.Chang'e 3 delivered the Yutu rover to the moon with its successful landing. [China Lands On Moon: Read the Full Story Here]

China's Chang'e 3 Mission Control

This image shows the view inside China's mission control center in Beijing for the Chang'e 3 moon lander and rover mission in December 2013.

Chang'e 3 Orbit Around the Moon

The lunar orbit of China's Chang'e 3 moon lander carrying the Yutu rover is shown in this graphic released by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Chang'e 3 will land on the moon on Dec. 14, 2013.

China's Yutu Moon Rover: Chang'e 3

China's first-ever moon landing mission, called Chang'e 3, will include the first Chinese rover ever to set down on an extraterrestrial landscape. See images from the Chang'e 3/Yutu rover mission here.

An artist's illustration of China's Yutu (Jade Rabbit) moon rover on the lunar surface. The rover and a lander are part of China's Chang'e 3 mission to the moon's Bay of Rainbows. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

China's Chang'e 3 Moon Rover Mission Profile

Credit: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China's Chang'e 3 moon mission, the country's first flight to land a rover on the moon, is depicted in this graphic released by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The mission launched on Dec. 2, 2013 Beijing Time and arrived in lunar orbit less than five days later.

China's Chang'e 3 Moon Mission Launches

A Chinese Long March 3B rocket launches China's first moon rover Yutu (Jade Rabbit) on the Chang'e 3 lunar landing mission from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Dec. 2, 2013 local time (Dec. 1 EST) in this still image from a CCTV broadcast. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Chang'e 3 Launch View: Rocket Boosters

[Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

China's Chang'e 3 Spacecraft Separation

hina's Chang'e 3 spacecraft carrying the country's Yutu (Jade Rabbit) moon rover separates from its Long March 3B rocket in this still image from a CCTV broadcast after the successful launch from Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Dec. 2, 2013 local time (Dec. 1 EST). [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

China Launches Chang'e 3 Moon Mission: Liftoff

China's Chang'e 3 Moon Rover

hina's Yutu moon rover, part of the Chang'e 3 lunar landing mission launching in December 2013. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Sinus Iridum Area of Moon

Sinus Iridum area of the moon. It is likely that China will land a rover near Laplace A crater. Arrow shows location of Soviet Lunokhod 1 rover. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Laplace A Crater

aplace A crater and nearby wrinkle ridge (diagonal at across lower right). The question mark shows a potential landing site from which the rover could traverse Northwest across the ridge to the edge of the crater. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Chang'e 3 Moon Rover Yutu Model

A model of China's Chang'e 3 moon rover Yutu launching in December 2013. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Chang’e-3 Mission to Moon

China's Chang'e 3 mission to the moon is designed to unleash six-wheel rover to scour the lunar surface. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Chang'e 3's Lunar Descent

Chang’e 3 will power itself down onto the moon’s surface in a tricky maneuver. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Chang'e 3 Moon Lander Testing

Chang'e 3 moon lander undergoes testing. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Chang'e 3

China's next phase of its moon exploration program, the Chang'e 3 would soft land on the lunar surface and deploy instrument-laden rover. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

China’s Chang’e 3 Lunar Lander

China’s Chang’e 3 lunar lander/rover is undergoing extensive testing for flight to the moon later this year. One NASA scientist taking a look at the size of the spacecraft called it “lander envy.” [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Chang'e 3 Lunar Rover Desert Test

Chang'e 3 lunar rover mobility testing was done in a desert locale of China. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

Chang'e 2 Orbiter's Image of the Bay of Rainbows

China's Chang'e 2 orbiter captured detailed imagery of the Bay of Rainbows, the proposed landing site for the country's first lunar lander. [Read the Full Launch Story for China's 1st Moon Rover Mission]

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China Chang'e 3 Moon Rover Yutu Deployed

Credit: CNTV

Chang'e-3, Yutu Rover Landing Site 5-Position Panorama

Credit: CNSA/Chinanews/Ken Kremer/Marco Di Lorenzo | kenkremer.com

5-Position Panorama Shows Yutu Rover Movements

Credit: CNSA/Chinanews/Ken Kremer/Marco Di Lorenzo | kenkremer.com

Chang'e-3, Yutu from Above and Below Composite

Credit: CNSA/NASA/Ken Kremer/Marco Di Lorenzo/Mark Robinson

Yutu Rover Departs Landing Site in Time-Lapse Panoramic

Credit: CNSA/Chinanews/Ken Kremer/Marco Di Lorenzo | kenkremer.com

Chang'e-3, Yutu Rover Landing Site Panorama

Credit: CNSA/Chinanews/Ken Kremer/Marco Di Lorenzo | kenkremer.com