Chinese rover Yutu becomes first on moon since 1973

[Deusaeuri]

That's pretty much it. China has successfully deployed the Yutu rover during the Chang'e 3 mission. It achieved Lunar orbit just over a week ago, and today, on December 14th at 13:12 UTC, the rover successfuly performed a soft landing on the surface of the moon. It is the only rover currently operating on the moon at the moment, since the Soviet-built "Луноход (Lunokhod) 2" ceased operations during May of 1973.

There are a lot of interesting things part of this. Firstly, it's a big step forward for China and shows that it and India are slowly ascending to become a space power alongside groups such as NASA and the ERA. What does NSG say? I personally believe this mission is more of statement from China than a research mission, or atleast hope it was intended as one, because I'm not really sure this mission will yield many results that weren't already discovered by the U.S. and Soviets decades ago. I also think it's only a matter of time before India is able to land a rover on the moon if it hasn't already, considering their orbiter mission to Mars is going well and they've already established orbiters and sent impactors.

Since it will probably fascinate some of you, here's an image taken by Chang'e 3 on it's way down.

[East Ormania]

Interesting. I really hope it starts another Space Race so that America can, once again, start exploring the space with a reasonable budget.

[Regnum Dominae]

I hope this encourages the US government to raise the NASA budget again.

[East Ormania]

I hope this encourages the US government to raise the NASA budget again.

There is a lot of interesting things out there.
Ever heard of the WOW signal?

[Blasveck]

I hope this encourages the US government to raise the NASA budget again.

This 1000 times over.

[Klishi Mainland]

I am usually a libertarian and for little government spending, but I'm a sucker for science. Raise the NASA budget!

[Need a Name]

Wow, China is really impressing me.

[Amerique Royal]

I am actually glad China did this, hopefully NASA get's it's rightful funding back!

[Skeckoa]

Here come the patriots!! Good for them. Maybe it reignites the want for Americans to feel superior and therefore leads to an increase in funding for the peeps down in NASA

I am usually a libertarian and for little government spending, but I'm a sucker for science. Raise the NASA budget!

Maybe start a rumor that there is oil on the moon. That would be a race.

[Oaledonia]

I hope this encourages the US government to raise the NASA budget again.

There is a lot of interesting things out there.
Ever heard of the WOW signal?

They've searched for many years to for the source and it hasn't been repeated. That means it was probably Earthly in origin.

[East Ormania]

Here come the patriots!! Good for them. Maybe it reignites the want for Americans to feel superior and therefore leads to an increase in funding for the peeps down in NASA

I am usually a libertarian and for little government spending, but I'm a sucker for science. Raise the NASA budget!

Maybe start a rumor that there is oil on the moon. That would be a race.

The most brilliant piece of argument on NSG so far. *sigged*

There is a lot of interesting things out there.
Ever heard of the WOW signal?

They've searched for many years to for the source and it hasn't been repeated. That means it was probably Earthly in origin.

I still have my hopes up. I'm not one to believe in UFOs, and i'm naturally skeptical, but i would be thrilled if any convincet proof was found.
And they hadn't really stopped looking. They just diverted their attention to pontentially earth-like planets.

[The Corparation]

Here come the patriots!! Good for them. Maybe it reignites the want for Americans to feel superior and therefore leads to an increase in funding for the peeps down in NASA

I am usually a libertarian and for little government spending, but I'm a sucker for science. Raise the NASA budget!

Maybe start a rumor that there is oil on the moon. That would be a race.

Nonsense all we need to do is tell the media that the Moon Nazis are working on WMDs. Boom instant Lunar War. Instant Science.

[Oaledonia]

Here come the patriots!! Good for them. Maybe it reignites the want for Americans to feel superior and therefore leads to an increase in funding for the peeps down in NASAMaybe start a rumor that there is oil on the moon. That would be a race.

Nonsense all we need to do is tell the media that the Moon Nazis are working on WMDs. Boom instant Lunar War. Instant Science.

ORION activation...

[Draakonite]

Here come the patriots!! Good for them. Maybe it reignites the want for Americans to feel superior and therefore leads to an increase in funding for the peeps down in NASAMaybe start a rumor that there is oil on the moon. That would be a race.

Nonsense all we need to do is tell the media that the Moon Nazis are working on WMDs. Boom instant Lunar War. Instant Science.

Lets make both. Tell the US government thats there Oil on the Moon, and the US gov will automatically tell the media that there are Islamist (because it's hip now. Nazis are too retro) with WMDs there.

[Cameroi]

I hope this encourages the US government to raise the NASA budget again.

This 1000 times over.

me three. and if the tea tightwads in the u.s. won't do it, i'm absolutely for every nation or anyone else with the means and potential to start developing space programs. i know china is in the position of having to play catchup, and there's plenty to not like about some of its other problems back on earth, but the interesting thing about china's space effort, is they're intending to fill in some of the gaps america and russia left behind, starting with longer term development on the moon, with the possibility of perminent settlement. and if the rest of the planet doesn't get off the stick, china just might be the first nation on earth to put a human on mars and bring him/her back safely to earth.

[AiliailiA]

China has released only some crappy animations and "artists impressions" of the lander and rover, and some still photographs of the moon.

I'm not saying they didn't do the mission, or that it failed. Just that China has failed to learn from NASA and the ESA that beautiful pictures are what the public likes.

I guess there will be beautiful pictures eventually. They're probably 'shopping them right now to make them beautifuller.

Yutu by the way means Jade Rabbit, the pet rabbit of the moon goddess. Honestly, that's no sillier than the Greek and other mythological names given by Western astronomers and space exploration agencies. I'm only saying, it would be funnier if it was called MeTu ...

[Terra Sector Union]

Good for China. NASA better get back into the action because by the end of the decade, we might see a new age in space exploration.

[Herskerstad]

It would be a huge embarrassment for the Chinese if the US got a man to Mars in the medium term of things.

[Blasted Craigs]

I hope this encourages the US government to raise the NASA budget again.

America has it's head buried so far in the sands of denial that even if we were one day conquered by a foreign power we would convince ourselves we conquered them and made them pay the cost of running our government.
In other words, China could open a Lunar Starbucks and we would still claim NASA gets too much funding and no other power has a chance of catching up to us in the space race.

[Geilinor]

Space Race 2.0! I hope NASA gets more funding.

[The Godly Nations]

As a Chinese American, I remembered when China sent a man into space, to patriotic cheers in China and fear and trembling in America, and I can't help but think...they managed to accomplished what we have accomplished long ago out in a fit of jealousy and national cock size competition with the Soviets, and they have yet to even land a man on the moon as we have when we finally proved our 'Murican Dick is so much bigger than theirs. Now, they managed to get a rover on the moon, when we already have had a rover on Mars, and I can't help but feel all this cheering for what is, comparably, a minor achievement, and all the panic and cries to start up Nasa is really unjustified.

[Vamtrl]

I hope this encourages the US government to raise the NASA budget again.

This 1000 times over.

The thing is NASA's annual budget is larger then most of the space agencies around the world, combined. But more funding is always good, surprisingly if irc Obama slashed funding the past few years. Which made me

[Soviet Russia Republic]

Congrats to China, looking forward to watching their space program's further progress as time goes on.

[Rio Cana]

China has released only some crappy animations and "artists impressions" of the lander and rover, and some still photographs of the moon.

I'm not saying they didn't do the mission, or that it failed. Just that China has failed to learn from NASA and the ESA that beautiful pictures are what the public likes.

I guess there will be beautiful pictures eventually. They're probably 'shopping them right now to make them beautifuller.

Yutu by the way means Jade Rabbit, the pet rabbit of the moon goddess. Honestly, that's no sillier than the Greek and other mythological names given by Western astronomers and space exploration agencies. I'm only saying, it would be funnier if it was called MeTu ...

So that explains those old Chinese propaganda children space posters from the 50's and 60's which had rabbits. In the end, it seems they have accomplished the goal they set out for themselves half a century ago.

[Vetalia]

Well, that's certainly a remarkable achievement for China. Not so much in regards to space exploration and scientific discovery but a great achievement for them.