In a surprising turn of events, Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) has successfully resumed operations, providing a positive development for the country’s space program. This comes nine days after SLIM’s initial touch down on the Moon, which was marred by a skewed angle that left its solar panels facing the wrong direction.
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the breakthrough on the social media platform X, sharing a blurry image of a lunar rock referred to as a “toy poodle.” The agency stated, “Last evening we succeeded in establishing communication with SLIM, and resumed operations!” The lunar lander’s multiband spectroscopic camera, known as MBC, has already initiated scientific observations.
SLIM’s initial landing on January 20 marked Japan as the fifth nation to achieve a “soft landing” on the Moon, joining the ranks of the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India. However, the descent, often termed the “20 minutes of terror,” encountered engine problems, resulting in an off-kilter landing with solar panels facing the wrong direction.
JAXA had previously turned SLIM off with 12 percent power remaining in hopes that it would revive. The recent success suggests that the solar battery resumed power generation as it received sunlight.
Acknowledging the recent achievements, JAXA mentioned that SLIM landed precisely within 55 meters of its target, showcasing impressive precision. The lander is set to investigate an exposed area of the Moon’s mantle, an inner layer typically beneath its crust.
Additionally, two detached probes, one with a transmitter and a mini-rover designed to traverse the lunar surface, have successfully accomplished their tasks. The rover, slightly larger than a tennis ball, was co-developed by the firm known for Transformer Toys.
Despite some recent setbacks in the space exploration domain, including fuel leakage from a US lunar lander and NASA’s postponed crewed lunar missions, Japan’s success with SLIM marks a significant step forward. This accomplishment follows previous Japanese lunar mission setbacks, illustrating the resilience and progress in the nation’s space exploration endeavors.
