6 ms·

Suppose China were to send another Rover up in the next 5 years, and it found this one. In theory, could this one be repaired? Or will the "electronics self-des

• sounds 13y ago
  Some assumptions I have to make are: • The RTG in Yutu (the rover already up) will last that long • Yutu does not move, get struck by a meteor, or other normal events in space that will damage it further • The team who understands Yutu is still around in 5 years Then China could, in theory: • Assemble a rover with the repair parts on board • Launch it to the moon • Land on the moon intact • Locate Yutu • Do a remotely-operated repair There's a lot of risk in each of those steps. It might be an interesting mission to push the boundaries of tele-operated robotics etc. Realistically it seems less expensive to launch a second rover that has been improved based on the lessons learned from Yutu. Hopefully China can think of lots of things to improve the second time. Interesting thought experiment, though.