Despite the odds, Japan’s SLIM lander managed to reactivate more than a week after landing on the moon’s surface. However, it has now gone dormant for the duration of the lunar night and may not be able to wake up again. The SLIM team from the Japanese space agency, JAXA, shared the last image captured by the lander at the moon’s Shioli crater before dusk, as night approached. The lunar night lasts the equivalent of two Earth weeks and can reach temperatures colder than -200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Last night (1/31 ~ 2/1) we sent a command to switch on #SLIM’s communicator again just in case, but with no response, we confirmed SLIM had entered a dormant state. This is the last scene of the Moon taken by SLIM before dusk. #GoodAfterMoon #JAXA pic.twitter.com/V1iAUoxJFK
— 小型月着陸実証機SLIM (@SLIM_JAXA) February 1, 2024
The team has confirmed that the solar-powered lander is in a dormant state that will last at least the duration of the lunar night….
2024-02-03 17:14:38
Source from www.engadget.com
