SLIM Moon Lander Returns To Life After A Week Of TURNoff

Moon surface portrait from the SLIM camera (photo: twitter @SLIM_JAXA)

JAKARTA After the engine was turned off for more than a week, Smart Lander for Investigation Moon (SLIM) finally turned on again. This means that SLIM landers can start observations on the Moon.

The Japanerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said that they managed to connect with the SLIM lander on Saturday, January 28. The country's institutions did not explain the specific time, they only said that communication was established at night.

Shortly after communication with SLIM was connected, JAXA began receiving data from the SLIM multiband (MBC) spectroscopy camera. Images that SLIM shares show the Toy Poodle, one of the rocks that became observational material.

Apart from Toy Poodle, there are still five other rocks, including St. Bernard, KAIKEN, BANYA, SHIBANU, and AKITANU. Giving names to these rocks is deliberately done so that the team from JAXA can distinguish their types by size.

All of these rocks will be part of observation, including part of MBC 10-band observations. During the observation, the MBC will scan by moving the mirror to check the rocks.

Although the SLIM lander is functioning again, this situation will not last long. According to Spacenews, the sun will set again in the Shioli crater on Wednesday, January 31. When this happens, the SLIM solar panels will not be able to recharge the batteries again.

SLIM has limited time to continue observation and charge its batteries. After the sun has set, SLIM must wait for the next sunlight so that its solar panels can generate electricity and charge batteries.