Japanese Lunar Probe Survives Harsh Night and Reestablishes Communication with Earth

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency announced that the probe 'SLIM', which landed near the lunar equator last month, successfully endured nighttime temperatures below -130 degrees Celsius and reestablished communication with Earth. According to the journal 'Nature', Shin'ichiro Sakai, the project manager for SLIM, described receiving signals from the lunar rover as 'a pleasant surprise' and stated, 'The communication system, internal computer, and solar panels of SLIM are all intact, and researchers at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency are working to capture new images using the rover's multi-band spectrometer designed for analyzing lunar rock compositions.' The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency had previously reported that the 'SLIM' rover, despite successfully landing on target, had overturned, causing its solar panels to misalign and lose communication with Earth; however, it later repositioned itself correctly. The extreme heat during the lunar day also poses challenges for lunar explorers, including SLIM. On the Moon, according to Earth calculations, there are two weeks of day and two weeks of night. Nighttime temperatures can drop to -190 degrees Celsius, while daytime temperatures can reach 127 degrees Celsius. Currently, in addition to Japan's SLIM rover, the United States' 'Odyssey' rover is also exploring the lunar surface. The Odyssey rover, from the private American company 'Intuitive Machines', landed on the Moon at sunset on Thursday, March 3, Eastern Time, and established contact with the ground center. The significance of sending the 'Odyssey' rover by a private American company is highlighted in discussions about the United States' return to the Moon after half a century; the success of the 'Odyssey' rover marks a historic moment for American lunar exploration.