China said its first lunar rover is experiencing mechanical problems, in a rare setback for its burgeoning space program, AP reported. The six-wheeled Yutu vehicle began operating last month after making the first soft landing on the moon by a space probe in 37 years. It was designed to roam the lunar surface for three months while surveying for natural resources and sending back data, along with its stationary lander, Chang'e 3. The mission has been a popular success for China's space program and the rover has attracted more than 150,000 followers on its microblog. It last posted on Saturday saying repairs were underway and hope was not lost. "Sorry to make you all sad. The engineers and I haven't given up yet," the posting said. The mechanical problems appeared to be related to the solar-powered probe's process for shutting down for the lunar night, which lasts more than two weeks. The temperature during that time drops to minus 180 degrees Celsius (minus 292 degrees Fahrenheit). China's space program has made steady progress since the country launched its first manned spacecraft in 2003. It has launched a lunar orbiter, conducted space walks, and put in orbit a prototype space station, to be replaced by a permanent station at the end of the decade.
