Japan’s first moon lander, SLIM, has successfully survived another freezing lunar night, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The lander, which touched down on the lunar surface on January 20, 2024, has now weathered three weekslong lunar nights. During a lunar night, temperatures can drop to minus 170 degrees Celsius (minus 274 degrees Fahrenheit). SLIM was not designed to survive these extreme conditions, but it has continued to function despite the repeated harsh cycles of temperature changes. JAXA has reported that SLIM’s key functions are still working, and they plan to closely monitor the lander’s deterioration. SLIM’s survival is a significant achievement, as it demonstrates the lander’s ability to withstand the harsh conditions of the lunar surface. The lander is tasked with testing Japan’s pinpoint landing technology and collecting geological data and images. Scientists are hoping that by comparing the mineral compositions of moon rocks and those of Earth, they can gain insights into the origin of the moon.
SLIM’s success comes just days after NASA restored contact with Voyager 1, the farthest space probe from Earth. Voyager 1 had been sending garbled data back to Earth for months, but NASA was able to restore contact and regain control of the probe. This is a significant achievement, as Voyager 1 is now the longest-operating spacecraft in history. It was launched in 1977 and has traveled more than 14 billion miles from Earth. Voyager 1 is now in the interstellar medium, the vast expanse of space between stars. It is the first spacecraft to enter this region of space, and its continued operation is providing valuable data about the interstellar medium.
These two recent successes in space exploration demonstrate the remarkable progress that has been made in recent years. Spacecraft are now able to travel farther and explore more extreme environments than ever before. These missions are providing valuable data that is helping us to better understand our solar system and the universe beyond.
