The Japanese lunar rover Slim has had a tortuous journey since landing on the moon’s surface. This probe made a record-breaking landing on the moon late last month; But due to overturning on the lunar surface, it could not produce the electricity needed to continue its activity and it stopped working. However, the lunar lander came back to life shortly after, thanks to a change in the angle of the sun’s rays.
Slim now faces the toughest challenge in his mission: surviving the bitterly cold night of the moon. This challenge may mark the end of the Japanese lunar mission; But before powering off again, the probe made sure it delivered the last amazing images of the moon’s surface.
On January 19, after almost two hours of waiting, Japan confirmed that it had become the fifth country to land on the moon with the successful landing of the “Smart Lunar Exploration Rover” or Slim for short. The spacecraft has suffered an unknown malfunction.
Slim had accomplished its two main goals, that is, a very precise landing inside the Shivli crater and the placement of two small rovers on the moon; But its solar panels could not absorb sunlight, and as a result, the lunar rover began to operate by relying on batteries.
