Japanese lunar probe Slim has sent new images back to Earth after its second two-week lunar night. “We received a reply from Slime last night confirming that Slime has successfully completed its second night,” the Japanese space agency said on Jaxa online service X. Navigation camera recorded,” it continued.
A black and white photograph of the rocky surface of a crater was attached to the message. Slim stands for “Smart Lander for Investigating Moon”. By landing a 2.40-meter by 1.70-meter probe on an Earth satellite on January 20, Japan became the fifth country to land on the moon, after the United States, the Soviet Union, China and India.
Electricity is low due to bad location
However, the probe landed on its side, so its solar panels were facing west instead of upward as planned. As a result, the device initially received little sun and therefore little power. Nevertheless, Slim was able to transmit the first images of the lunar surface to Earth.
After a short wakefulness period of two days, the probe was put into sleep mode when the lunar night, which lasts about 14 Earth days, began because it was not designed for long lunar nights with temperatures of minus 133 degrees Celsius. . After the first lunar night, Slim successfully woke up again before being put back into sleep mode at the end of February.
By landing the probe in the Shioli Crater, scientists hope to access rock that is normally hidden beneath the moon's surface. This rock can provide information about possible water phenomena on the moon.
