Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) has made a rather unfortunate landing on the lunar surface. The lander is currently upside down with its nose stuck in the ground, as depicted in an image captured by the companion robot SORA-Q.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has revealed that an abnormality in the main engine led to the incorrect landing attitude. This unexpected turn of events caused SLIM to land on its nose, rendering it unable to right itself. Despite the mishap, SLIM has become the fifth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the Moon.
To make matters worse, SLIM encountered trouble generating power due to blocked solar panels. As a result, the lander was shut down three hours after landing and is unlikely to power back on. However, there is a glimmer of hope for power generation in the future if sunlight hits the Moon from the west.
Despite these setbacks, SLIM’s mission has not been completely unsuccessful. The lander managed to observe its surroundings, which were described as desolate and rocky. This demonstrates the resilience and adaptability of the spacecraft despite its unfortunate landing position.
The image captured by SORA-Q was transmitted back to Earth through the robot LEV-1, which is capable of independently contacting mission control. This breakthrough in inter-robot communication and autonomous operations is being hailed as a ground-breaking achievement by JAXA.
JAXA considers the SLIM mission a success, despite the unexpected landing mishap. The agency emphasizes the significant strides made in inter-robot communication and the valuable data collected by the lander during its brief period of activity. Though SLIM may be physically stuck on the lunar surface, it has left its mark on space exploration history.
