After successfully landing its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on the Moon, Japan’s space agency, JAXA, decided to switch off the lander in hopes of reviving it when sunlight reaches its solar panels. This marks Japan as the fifth country to accomplish a soft lunar landing, with the historic touchdown occurring on Saturday. Despite encountering difficulty in confirming power generation from the craft’s solar batteries, JAXA was able to gather technical and image data from its descent and the lunar surface before remotely turning off the lander.
“We’re relieved and beginning to get excited after confirming a lot of data has been obtained,” JAXA stated on Monday, expressing optimism about the possibility of restoring power generation when sunlight hits the Moon from the west. SLIM is part of the recent wave of lunar missions launched by governments and private firms, 50 years after the first human Moon landing. JAXA is currently analyzing the data obtained to determine the mission’s success in reaching its intended landing spot and further its study of the Moon’s mantle.
Despite encountering challenges, including a hard landing of a previous private Japanese lunar mission in April, JAXA continues to press forward with its lunar exploration endeavors.
