After the Yutu (Jade Rabbit) moon rover successfully separated itself from China’s Chang’e-3 lander early yesterday morning, the lunar duo achieved another incredible success late into the night when photos taken of each other revealed the bright red Chinese flag on full display―its first time in history to stand atop an extraterrestrial body.
Ma Xingrui, chief commander of China’s lunar program, announced that Chang’e-3 mission was a “complete success”, after the two successfully took pictures for each other.
The color images, live transmitted via a deep space network designed by China, showed the Chinese national flag on Yutu. It marked the first time that the five-star red flag had pictures taken in an extraterrestrial body.
As a photo appeared on a big monitoring screen at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC), senior state leaders and dozens of center staff clapped hands in cheers.
