Shortly after the historic landing on the moon, the Japanese space probe Slim was shut down due to power problems. The probe’s battery was disconnected with 12 percent power remaining and the spacecraft shut down at 2:57 a.m. (local time) on Saturday, Japan’s Jaxa space agency said Monday.
The authority wanted to avoid a situation where “the restart (of the lander) could be hampered”.
According to Jaxa, if sunlight falls on the moon from the west in the future, there is “a possibility to generate energy” via solar cells. The government is currently preparing the restoration.
First, Jaxa wants to analyze the data collected during landing. This will determine whether the 2.40 meter long and 1.70 meter wide spacecraft has achieved its goal of landing within the intended radius of one hundred meters in the Shioli crater.
Fifth Moon Nation
On Saturday, Japan became the fifth country in the world to land on the moon. Japan’s Jaxa space agency confirmed the landing of the Slim spacecraft on Earth’s satellite at 12:20 p.m. Communication with the probe had been established, but the solar cells were not producing electricity, Jaxa explained.
The name Slim is an abbreviation for “Smart Lander for Investigating Moon”. It was Japan’s third attempt at a moon landing after two failed missions. So far, only the US, the Soviet Union, China and India have managed to land on the moon.
The Japanese space agency Jaxa had already achieved a precision landing on an asteroid, but on the moon, where gravity is stronger, the challenge is greater.
(jam/sda/afp)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
