China’s lunar lander, rover take a rest

The lander and rover of the Chang’e 4 probe have been switched to dormant mode for the lunar night, which lasts about two weeks, the China National Space Administration said on Wednesday. The lander was switched to dormant mode at 7 pm on Monday, and the Yutu 2 rover followed at 8 pm. Equipment on board the lander, including its low-frequency radio astronomical instrument and neutron radiation detector, has been operating smoothly, the administration said. The rover has driven 120 meters, breaking the Chinese record of 114.8 meters set by its predecessor, Yutu, in 2013.