Japan’s space agency, JAXA, has confronted challenges with its “Smart Lander for Investigating Moon” (SLIM) after the lunar craft’s arrival on the Moon on Friday. While marking Japan as the fifth country to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface, the success was overshadowed by a setback, as the space agency encountered difficulties in confirming the lander’s status, cutting the live stream without providing immediate information.
Subsequent announcements revealed that SLIM had encountered technical problems, leading to a lack of power generation. Despite the challenges, JAXA expressed belief in the initial success of the landing but admitted the incapacity to continue operations.
The latest update discloses that the lander was shut down approximately three hours after landing, remotely powered off by JAXA after sending back landing data. The reported issue revolves around SLIM’s misalignment upon landing, causing its solar panels to face away from the Sun.
JAXA, however, remains optimistic about the potential revival of SLIM. The space agency explained that if sunlight starts shining on the lunar surface from the west, aligning with the solar cells, there is a possibility of power generation. A statement from JAXA mentioned, “SLIM can operate with power only from the solar cells.”
The decision to deactivate the lander upon lunar arrival was strategic, ensuring some power remained in the batteries, enhancing the likelihood of a successful restart.
