The McCreary County Record is excited to report that SLIM, Japan’s Moon lander, has successfully survived the lunar night for the second time. This achievement comes after a setback during Moonfall, where JAXA, the Japanese space agency, worked tirelessly to bring SLIM back from the brink. Despite facing radio silence, the lander unexpectedly sprang back to life.
SLIM, which relies on solar power, had to power down during the lunar night but has been woken up twice to collect crucial data. JAXA had warned that SLIM might not wake up after the latest lunar night, but plans to attempt operations again in late March. Although some temperature sensors and battery cells are starting to malfunction, SLIM is overall faring better on the Moon than its American counterpart, Odysseus.
This success by SLIM highlights a stark contrast to the failed private Moon lander debacle from NASA. The perseverance and dedication shown by JAXA in bringing SLIM back to life after facing difficulties is commendable. The McCreary County Record looks forward to following SLIM’s journey and reporting on future advancements in space exploration.
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