Japan's lunar probe 'fell asleep' again

JAXA states: 'During this process, we will focus on checking the status of several devices by turning on switches and testing payloads. Although there are some malfunctions in some functions of the multi-frequency camera, the device is still functional, so we are thoroughly checking the condition of the device.'

The SLIM spacecraft landed on the Moon last January, helping Japan register as the 5th country in the world to have a spacecraft gently land on Earth's only natural satellite, after Former Soviet Union, USA, China and India.

The SLIM spacecraft landed at an angle that caused its solar panels to face in the wrong direction and therefore could not collect energy optimally. However, despite pessimistic predictions, this 200 kg probe achieved a miracle: twice revived after experiencing a cold lunar night of -183 degrees Celsius and -130 degrees Celsius, respectively. One night on The Moon lasts about 14 days on Earth. Previously, JAXA said the SLIM spacecraft was not designed for such harsh lunar nights.

So far, SLIM has achieved the basic goals of the mission, including landing accurately, deploying two small rovers, conducting a series of scientific experiments and transmitting images from the Moon to Earth. .

JAXA said the SLIM spacecraft's multi-frequency camera searched for a mineral called "Olivine" on the lunar surface, and then analyzed the composition of this mineral. Comparing this mineral with mineral samples found on Earth will help provide evidence for the Big Bang hypothesis, whereby the Moon was formed by a collision with the Earth. with another planet about 4.6 billion years ago.

David Pac

Update 01 April 2024