Japan: Moon lander Slim comes back to life and resumes mission
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has successfully restored operations to its Moon lander after a temporary shutdown caused by a power supply issue. JAXA announced that contact with the lander was re-established on Sunday night, signalling the resolution of the glitch.
The lander’s solar cells are now operational once again, benefiting from a shift in lighting conditions that allowed it to capture sunlight. The power failure initially occurred upon landing on January 20, as the solar cells were positioned away from the sun, rendering them unable to generate power.
The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (Slim) spacecraft, by achieving a soft touchdown on the Moon, has propelled Japan into an elite group of nations that includes the United States, the former Soviet Union, China, and India.