Japan's SLIM Lander Survives Third Lunar Night
Japan's space agency, JAXA, announced that its first moon lander, SLIM, has successfully survived its third freezing lunar night. The news came after receiving an image from the device, three months after its landing on the moon.
The lunar probe responded to a signal from Earth on Tuesday night, confirming its survival through another weeks-long lunar night. During these nights, temperatures can plummet to minus 170 degrees Celsius (minus 274 degrees Fahrenheit).
SLIM, which stands for Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, reached the lunar surface on January 20, making Japan the fifth country to successfully land a probe on the moon. However, upon landing, SLIM found itself upside down, with its solar panels unable to see the sun. This forced the lander to be turned off within hours. Fortunately, it powered on again when the sun rose eight days later.
Despite not being designed to survive lunar nights, SLIM's key functions remain operational, even after repeated harsh cycles of temperature changes. JAXA plans to closely monitor the lander's condition as it continues its mission.
Scientists hope to find clues about the moon's origin by comparing the mineral compositions of moon rocks with those of Earth. This information could shed light on the formation of our solar system.
SLIM's success comes amidst other lunar missions. NASA recently restored contact with Voyager 1, the farthest space probe from Earth, after it sent garbled data for months. However, a U.S. lunar probe developed by a private company terminated its operation a month after its February landing. Additionally, an Indian moon lander failed to establish communication after its touchdown in 2023.