After a two-week lunar night, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) unit was able to resume operation and conduct observations.
After a two-week lunar night, Japan’s lunar lander has unexpectedly started operating again, according to the country’s space agency on February 26. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) reported that the spacecraft became operational for two days as the sun’s angle changed, allowing it to conduct scientific investigations of a crater using a high-spec camera.
Jaxa stated on Monday that they sent a command yesterday and received a response from SLIM. SLIM successfully endured a night on the moon’s surface while preserving its communication capabilities!
On January 20, the spacecraft SLIM successfully landed on the moon, making Japan the fifth country to achieve this milestone.
Last month, the unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM) landed at an uneven angle, causing its solar panels to face in the incorrect direction. JAXA referred to the signal received late Sunday night as a “miracle” due to the probe not being intended to last the moon night, during which temperatures can drop to minus 170 degrees Celsius (minus 274 degrees Fahrenheit).
JAXA limited Sunday’s transmission due to the high temperature of roughly 100 Celsius (212 Fahrenheit) during “lunar midday.” JAXA is currently planning to reestablish communication once the vehicle has cooled down.
Scientists want to uncover the moon’s origin by comparing the mineral compositions of moon rocks with those of Earth.