The SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) lander, which successfully landed on the lunar surface in January, encountered an unexpected challenge upon touchdown. It arrived at a tilted angle, causing its solar panels to face in the wrong direction.
In Tokyo, Japan’s unmanned Moon lander has reactivated after enduring a second freezing lunar night, transmitting fresh images to Earth, announced the nation’s space agency on Thursday.
In an official statement posted on the designated X account for its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) probe, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced that they had received a response from SLIM the previous night, confirming the successful completion of its second lunar overnight period. Despite the harsh conditions of the lunar night, SLIM managed to survive and resume operations, transmitting valuable data and images back to Earth. This development marks a significant milestone in Japan’s lunar exploration efforts and underscores the resilience and effectiveness of the SLIM probe in conducting scientific investigations on the Moon’s surface.
“Since the sun was still high in the sky last night and the equipment was still hot, we recorded images of the usual scenery with the navigational camera, among other activities, for a short period of time,” it added.
Upon its landing in January, the SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) lander arrived at a skewed angle, resulting in its solar panels being oriented in the incorrect direction.
Approximately three hours following the historic landing, which positioned Japan as the fifth nation to successfully touch down on the Moon, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) made the decision to power off the SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) with only 12 percent of its power remaining. This action was taken to preserve the possibility of resuming operations at a later time.
