Japan Achieves Milestone as Fifth Country to Land Probe on Moon
In a significant space exploration milestone, Japan successfully landed its spacecraft, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), on the moon's surface on Friday, becoming the fifth country to achieve this feat. However, the mission encountered a challenge as the probe's solar panels were unable to generate power, potentially due to incorrect angling. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) reported that SLIM landed at 1520 GMT, establishing communication with Earth. Unfortunately, the solar panels, crucial for powering the spacecraft, faced complications. Hitoshi Kuninaka, the head of JAXA’s research center, explained in a press conference that SLIM is currently relying on its battery, with the agency prioritizing the transfer of data to Earth. Despite efforts to conserve battery life, which includes turning off the heater, SLIM's battery is expected to last only a few hours. Rather than taking risky actions, JAXA plans to maintain the...