China’s Chang’e 3 lander (above) and its Yutu rover (below).
Images: © Chinese Academy of Sciences

On this date in 2013, China launched the robotic lunar exploration lander Chang’e 3, with China’s first lunar rover, Yutu-hao (‘jade rabbit’). Rover Yutu explored its landing area in Mare Imbrium and sent back pictures of the surface of the Moon for several weeks. Learn more at NASA’s mission page here.