Japan becomes 5th country to reach moon
Japan achieved a significant milestone on Saturday by becoming the fifth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon. However, the mission's success is currently threatened by solar power issues that could potentially cut short Japan's efforts to demonstrate "precision" landing technology and rejuvenate its space program, which has faced setbacks in the past.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced that its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down on the lunar surface around 12:20 a.m. (1520 GMT Friday). Unfortunately, the solar panels on the spacecraft were unable to generate electricity, possibly due to incorrect angling. This poses a challenge to the mission's objectives.
JAXA is now prioritizing the transfer of SLIM's data to Earth, as the probe relies solely on its battery, which is expected to last for "a few hours." To conserve power, the agency is implementing "life-sustaining treatments," such as turning off the heater. Hitoshi Kuninaka, the head of JAXA's research center, shared this information during a press conference.
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