Space sector celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival

China's space sector has joined in the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations and shared an update on Yutu-2!

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A bright supermoon in the night sky of Shijiazhuang City, in the northern province of Hebei on September 17th.

The Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节) took place on September 17th this year, last year it fell on September 29th and next year it will happen on October 6th. The festival commemorates and celebrates the end of the autumn harvest, and is popularly celebrated at a similar level to Chinese New Year. This year, a supermoon appeared in the night sky during the festivities.

During the festival, the various space companies and agencies of China shared posters online in celebration. Almost all of these posters were solely shared on Chinese social media platforms, such as Weibo and WeChat/Weixin. Due to this, I’ve compiled them all here with links back to the original posts, or where they were found. (If you have found one that I didn’t include please do reach out).

Deep Blue Aerospace

Deep Blue Aerospace’s Nebula-1 vehicle flying through the different phases of the Moon.

Galactic Energy

Galactic Energy’s Pallas-1 three-core version flying in front of the Moon with two rabbits watching on atop of a Mooncake and a lantern.

CAS Space

CAS Space’s Kinetica-2 vehicle flying past the Moon with two rabbits and a penguin watching on from a boat.

LandSpace

The Moon and LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle seen from a space station.

iSpace

iSpace’s Hyperbola-3 flying near the Moon.

Deep Space Exploration Lab

Chang’e 6’s shadow in front of the Moon with the Queqiao satellites in orbit.

China Great Wall Industry Corporation

Chang’e 6 sat atop of the Moon.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Chang’e 6 on the surface of the Moon with a Long March 5 lifting off and a rabbit watching from a rooftop.

MinoSpace

One of MinoSpace’s satellites passing near the Moon.

Space Pioneer

Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-3 in front of the Moon with the Moon goddess Chang’e and the Jade Rabbit nearby.

Space Epoch

Space Epoch’s XZY-1 vehicle flying toward the Moon with the shadow of the Moon goddess Chang’e in front of the Moon.

OrienSpace

OrienSpace’s Gravtiy-1 vehicle flying in front of the Moon with two rabbits watching from a Mooncake.

RSPACE

RSPACE’s vehicle with the Moon nearby.

Yutu-2 still operating

Shared during the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, Yutu-2 (玉兔二号) was revealed to have now traveled a total distance of 1,613 meters since it was deployed on January 3rd 2019. Since deployment, Yutu-2 has been working on the surface for over seventy-one months, making it the longest-lasting operational lunar rover.

Communications with Yutu-2, which is on the Moon's far side, have been maintained by the Queqiao-1 satellite throughout its mission. The various instruments on the rover are believed to still be operational with teams collecting data on their longevity.

According to Zuo Wei ( 左维), Deputy Chief Designer of the ground application system of the Chang'e 4 mission, Chang’e 4 is also still operating and conducting science. Chang’e 3 is also still alive but it does not conduct science anymore, it now switches off to survive the lunar night and turns back on in the lunar day.

Yutu-2’s tracks seen from the rover in September 2024.

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Header image from ChinaFotoPress via CGTN.

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