Surviving Against All Odds: Japan’s SLIM Lander Thrives on the Moon

On April 23, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced that the SLIM lander, or Smart Lunar Research Lander, had defied experts’ expectations by surviving its third night on the Moon. The SLIM spacecraft initially landed on the Moon on January 19, 2024, with the purpose of testing landing technology and collecting geological data.

Despite landing upside down and being unable to face the Sun for energy collection, SLIM managed to survive its first lunar night from January 31 to February 15. However, researchers anticipated that the drastic temperature drop from 100 degrees Celsius to -170 degrees Celsius would render the lander inoperable during each subsequent lunar night.

However, much to their surprise, SLIM remained functional after each night, including its third lunar night in mid-April. The unexpected resilience of the spacecraft has prompted JAXA to continue monitoring its status closely for any potential issues arising from the extreme day and night environments on the Moon.

The success of SLIM’s mission has sparked interest among researchers and space enthusiasts alike who are eagerly awaiting further updates on its discoveries on the lunar surface.