In a historic feat, a Japanese robot named Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (Slim) successfully touched down on the lunar surface, making Japan the fifth country to soft-land on the Moon. However, challenges have emerged as issues with Slim’s solar power system may limit the mission’s lifespan to a few hours.
Slim gently landed near an equatorial crater, deploying precision-navigation technologies to avoid hazards. Despite the successful soft landing, engineers are grappling with a solar power glitch, leaving the craft reliant on its batteries, which will eventually discharge, potentially ending communication with Earth.
Japanese space agency (Jaxa) officials are actively working to salvage the mission, turning off heaters and retrieving data on landing software performance. The solar cells’ misalignment could be a possible cause, and there remains hope that as lunar light angles change, Slim might revive.
Jaxa’s vice president, Hitoshi Kuninaka, asserted that the soft landing objective was achieved despite the challenges. Slim, carrying two small rovers, managed to eject them as planned before touchdown.
Slim, equipped with an infrared camera, intended to study the lunar geology over the next two weeks. The mission’s success hinges on resolving the solar power issue, and engineers are analyzing data to assess Slim’s performance in reaching the targeted location.
Landing on the Moon is statistically challenging, with only about half of all attempts succeeding. Jaxa’s reliance on precision-navigation technologies and rapid image processing showcased advancements in lunar exploration. Slim’s pinpoint landing with 100m accuracy is under scrutiny, and data analysis will provide more insights.
Jaxa’s Moon landing adds to its achievements, having previously landed robots on asteroids. The agency plays a crucial role in NASA’s Artemis program, contributing to lunar exploration.
Despite the glitch, the Japanese effort is applauded for precision landing, contributing valuable knowledge to the global lunar exploration community. Dr. Simeon Barber from the UK’s Open University emphasized the significance of learning from diverse lunar missions, while Dr. Emma Gatti from SpaceWatch Global highlighted the prestige and importance of Japan’s accomplishment.
