Japan’s lunar explorer, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), successfully regained power on Monday, overcoming a setback that occurred more than a week after the probe touched down. The issue arose when the lander’s solar panels were positioned incorrectly upon landing, leading to a depletion of its electricity.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced that contact was re-established with the moon lander on Sunday night as it resumed its mission, capturing images of the Moon’s surface and transmitting them to Earth.
According to an AP news report, on January 20, SLIM landed on the moon within 55 meters (180 feet) of its target in a crater near the lunar equator. However, just before landing, the spacecraft experienced a last-minute engine failure, causing it to land slightly off-target, face-down on the lunar surface. With its left solar panel oriented away from the sunlight, it was unable to generate power. The craft was then powered down, awaiting the sun’s rise higher in the lunar sky in late January.
JAXA announced in a press release that in the face of this unexpected situation, both Lunar Excursion Vehicles (LEV-1 and LEV-2) were successfully detached just prior to landing. Additionally, the multi-band spectroscopic camera (MBC) aboard SLIM was activated for a trial run, capturing images until power was shut down.
The space agency also posted a black-and-white photo on social media zooming in on a lunar rock that has been named “toy poodle”.
The mission team has picked out specific rocks near the landing area and given each one the name of a dog breed — apparently to indicate the size of each rock.
In a conversation with BBC News, Dr. Simeon Barber, a lunar scientist from the Open University, highlighted the distinctive response of the camera on SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) to various wavelengths associated with different minerals present in lunar rocks. This capability is crucial for scientists seeking insights into the Moon’s origin and evolutionary history.
Dr. Barber explained that if a toy poodle, for instance, displays a significant difference from the surrounding rocks, it could indicate transportation to its current location through an impact event. The detailed information obtained from SLIM allows scientists to piece together a more comprehensive understanding of the Moon’s activities since its formation.
As per an AP news report, SLIM is anticipated to have adequate sunlight to sustain its operations for several Earth days, potentially lasting until Thursday.
Japan’s successful landing on the moon has positioned it as the fifth country in the world to achieve this feat, following in the footsteps of the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India.
