There is a recent report from SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon), a project by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which has successfully landed a spacecraft on the moon, becoming the fifth nation to do so. However, due to a tilt in the spacecraft, the solar panels were unable to receive sunlight to generate energy, resulting in it temporarily shutting down until the position of the sun allows for sufficient power.
Recently, JAXA has reported that the SLIM spacecraft is now back in operation after more than a week. It is able to communicate with the spacecraft to receive surface images, providing data on the moon’s rocks. Interestingly, JAXA has even named the rocks at different points after various dog breeds.
Nevertheless, SLIM may only be able to perform its mission for a short period of time, as Thursday marks the entry of the moon into darkness and it remains unclear whether the spacecraft can continue its operations.
TLDR: JAXA’s SLIM project successfully landed a spacecraft on the moon, but due to solar panel tilt, it temporarily shut down. Now operational, it can communicate and obtain images of the moon’s surface. However, its mission may be limited as the moon enters darkness.
Leave a Comment