Japan’s Moon Lander Survival
Japan’s Moon lander has successfully survived the freezing two-week lunar night, marking a significant achievement for the country’s space agency. An update is scheduled for later this month to continue the operation.
Mission Progress
An image of the Moon’s surface captured by the LEV-2 ‘SORA-Q’ transformable lunar surface robot, part of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Smart Lander for Investigating Moon mission, showcases the successful landing on Jan. 20, 2024.
The unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) faced challenges upon landing in January, with its solar panels initially facing the wrong way. However, it managed to conduct scientific observations of a crater using a high-spec camera as the sun’s angle shifted.
Despite not being designed for the harsh lunar nights where temperatures drop to -133 degrees, the SLIM probe surprised scientists by waking up again after two weeks of dormancy. It has since gone back to sleep as the sun set on March 1, with plans to resume operations when sunlight returns in late March.
The mission’s success follows recent advancements, including the uncrewed American lander Odysseus becoming the first private spaceship to reach the Moon. SLIM, also known as the “Moon Sniper” for its precision landing technology, achieved a soft landing within its designated target zone on January 20.
Japan’s space program celebrates this milestone as it becomes only the fifth nation to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, joining the ranks of the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India.
Mission Objectives
The primary goal of the mission is to explore a part of the Moon’s mantle, the deep inner layer beneath its crust, which is believed to be accessible. This research aligns with the broader international efforts to return astronauts to the Moon and establish long-term habitats for future exploration, including utilizing polar ice for drinking water and rocket fuel for voyages to Mars.
This achievement highlights Japan’s contribution to space exploration and paves the way for further scientific discoveries on the lunar surface.
