Mudslide danger looms in Southern California as fire threat diminishes

As firefighters gain control of Southern California wildfires, state and local officials are assessing burned slopes and culverts to try and prevent flash floods and mudslides that sometimes follow such fires.

China's unmanned lunar orbiter returns home, first in nearly four decades

BEIJING, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- China succeeded Saturday in the world's first mission to the Moon and back in some 40 years, becoming the third nation to do so after the former Soviet Union and the United States.

The test lunar orbiter, nicknamed "Xiaofei" on Chinese social networks, landed in Siziwang Banner of China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region early Saturday morning.

Search teams have already recovered the orbiter at the designated landing area, about 500 kilometers away from Beijing.

China Loses First Lunar Rover

MOSCOW, February 12 (RIA Novosti) – China officially announced the loss of its maiden lunar rover Wednesday due to technical problems.

“China's first lunar rover, Yutu, could not be restored to full function on Monday as expected,” the state-owned China News Service said.
In December, the 140-kilogram lunar rover, whose name translates as Jade Rabbit, made the first soft landing of any probe on the moon in nearly four decades.

Abnormality found on China's moon rover (video CCTV)

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Chinese scientists are preparing to overhaul its moon rover "Yutu", after an abnormality was detected as it went dormant.

The information was revealed by the country’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence on Saturday.

Lander and rover ready to perform exploration tasks.

video cctv

This was the fifth time the rover and the lander took photos of each since they arrived eight days ago. Scientists in Beijing have been processing them and say scientific tasks can now begin.

"Ten pictures have been taken at five spots so far, and all of them are better than we expected. The rover has moved in a semi-circle around the lander. Afterwards, they will begin to conduct scientific explorations of the geography and geomorphology of the landing spot and nearby areas, and materials like minerals and elements there.