Japan’s moon lander survives a second weekslong lunar night, beating predictions
PTI, Feb 27, 2024, 8:39 AM IST
Japan’s first moon lander responded to a signal from Earth, suggesting it has survived a second freezing weekslong lunar night, Japan’s space agency said Monday.
JAXA called the signal, received late Sunday night, a “miracle” because the probe was not designed to survive the lunar night, when temperatures can fall to minus 170 degrees Celsius (minus 274 degrees Fahrenheit). The craft, Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, made a “pinpoint” touchdown on Jan. 20, making Japan became the fifth country to successfully place a probe on the moon. But the probe landed the wrong way up, with its solar panels initially unable to see the sun and had to be turned off within hours. SLIM regained power on the eighth day after its landing, when it got the sun. For several days, SLIM collected geological data from moon rocks, before going back into hibernation in late January to wait out another lunar night.
JAXA said Sunday’s communication was kept short because it was still “lunar midday” and SLIM was at a very high temperature, about 100 Celsius (212 Fahrenheit). JAXA is now preparing to make contact again when the vehicle has cooled.
Scientists are hoping to find clues about the origin of the moon by the comparing mineral compositions of moon rocks and those of Earth.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
Those filled with hate not leaving any chance to defame the country: PM Modi’s veiled dig at Rahul Gandhi
Kejriwal holds one on one meeting with AAP’s PAC members to elect next Delhi CM
Jobs ready for youths in J-K holding laptops and tricolour, jail for stone pelters: Amit Shah
Multi-tier security arrangements put up in J-K ahead of assembly polls
100 days of Modi 3.0: Congress slams PM as ‘weak’, says running ‘U-turn’ govt
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Karnataka Women’s Commission gives Kannada film industry 15 days to come up with POSH plan
Those filled with hate not leaving any chance to defame the country: PM Modi’s veiled dig at Rahul Gandhi
Kejriwal holds one on one meeting with AAP’s PAC members to elect next Delhi CM
Jobs ready for youths in J-K holding laptops and tricolour, jail for stone pelters: Amit Shah
Udayavani.com “Nammane Krishna”: Broadcast of 6th Prize-Winning Reel
Thanks for visiting Udayavani
You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.