China Reveals Status of Stationary Mars Rover.

China's Zhurong rover on Mars likely went into hibernation due to excessive accumulation of sand and dust, according to the mission designer. The rover was expected to wake up in December 2022 after entering a planned sleep mode in May 2022, but an unforeseen pile-up of dust most likely affected power generation and Zhurong's ability to wake up. The 240-kg rover, powered by solar energy, had explored the Martian surface for 358 days and travelled for 1,921 metres, far exceeding its original mission time-span of three months.