Surprisingly, Japan’s inverted lunar lander continues to function.
The “Moon Sniper” probe that is being conducted in Japan is not going to let something as insignificant as being inverted prevent it from exceeding expectations. In January, the spacecraft successfully touched down, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) anticipated that the lunar night, which lasted for several weeks, would mark the conclusion of the mission. However, the unexpected revelation that the Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM) is still alive and doing well on the Moon was made by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
There have only been a few lunar landers that have been able to safely touch down in the past few years, and SLIM is one of such vehicles. A great number of missions have been unsuccessful in reaching the surface of the Moon, despite the growing interest in returning to the Moon. During the previous year, Russia’s Luna-25 probe was involved in a crash, and the Peregrine lander, which is located in the United States, experienced a fuel leak that prompted it to abandon an attempt to land some weeks ago. Despite the fact that probes are successful in reaching the Moon, things might still go awry—quite literally.
The term “Moon Sniper” comes from the fact that this spacecraft was developed to test a precise landing system that matches surface features in real time. This technology enables the spacecraft to land within a few metres of its target, which is why it was given the nickname. A zone that is several kilometres across must be the objective of the majority of landings. A problem with one of the engines led SLIM to lean forward as it came to a stop, despite the fact that it did land in the destination that was intended for it. Because of this, the noise was directed downward, and the solar panels were placed in an unfavourable position to collect sunlight. Shortly after landing, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) made the decision to turn off the probe and wait to see if it could recharge when the direction of sunlight changed.
Temperatures on the Moon are currently at an all-time high of approximately 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit), suggesting that it is currently noontime. This temperature is high enough to allow water to boil, or alternatively, it would be at sea level on Earth; the vacuum pressure of the Moon would immediately cause liquid water to boil off. In the announcement that it made, JAXA mentioned that it had only established communication with SLIM for a brief period of time. The communication array was nearing the point of overheating as a result of the high temperatures. Consequently, it severed the connection and has the intention of sending another ping to the lander after the temperatures have decreased.
Last night, a command was sent to #SLIM and a response received, confirming that the spacecraft has made it through the lunar night and maintained communication capabilities! 🌝🛰 #GoodAfterMoon #JAXA
— 小型月着陸実証機SLIM (@SLIM_JAXA) February 26, 2024
It is remarkable that SLIM has been around for such a long time. The night cycle is significantly more severe than the lunar midday, which is already quite extreme. At night, temperatures near the equator, where SLIM landed, can reach -130 degrees Celsius (-202 degrees Fahrenheit). Because there is no sunlight, landers are unable to operate heaters for weeks at a time. In spite of this, SLIM was able to endure the deep freeze without any particular design considerations focused on low temperatures. Engineers could use this information to improve electrical designs that are more likely to be successful on the Moon.
The probe has already demonstrated that its landing system is capable of functioning and has received data about its surroundings. Despite its uncomfortable situation, the JAXA team is optimistic that SLIM will be able to advance scientific research. As soon as the team resumes communication in the following weeks, we ought to have additional information at our disposal.