The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) has unexpectedly survived a freezing lunar night and re-established communication with Earth. This is a significant achievement, as the probe was not designed to survive such harsh conditions.
SLIM touched down on the lunar surface last month, making Japan the fifth country to put a probe on the moon. Shortly after landing, the probe ran out of power because it had tipped over and its solar panels were at the wrong angle.
However, the probe's solar panels regained electricity more than a week later thanks to a change in the sunlight's direction. This allowed SLIM to re-establish communication with Earth.
The survival of SLIM is a testament to the ingenuity of Japanese engineers. It is also a sign of the growing interest in lunar exploration, as countries and businesses race for the moon in search of resources and human habitability.