In a recent announcement, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has officially declared the end of its lunar mission for the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), which touched down on the Moon on January 20, 2024. Despite initial hopes for ongoing communication, all attempts to reach the lander since April have failed, signaling an end to the mission as SLIM’s equipment succumbed to the harsh lunar night temperatures and radiation.

An artistic representation of the position of the SLIM module on the Moon after the lunar landing. Image Source: JAXA

The decision to terminate the mission has come as a surprise, given SLIM’s impressive endurance. Designed without specific protection against the extreme cold of lunar nights, which can plummet to -170 °C, SLIM astonishingly survived not one but three lunar nights. This unexpected durability, which caught even the creators off guard, sparked hope for a potential miraculous revival.

However, SLIM’s primary objective was never about lasting through lunar nights but proving its precision landing capability. The lander successfully achieved its mission goal, landing with an astonishing accuracy of just 10 meters from the intended target—far exceeding the original 100-meter deviation allowance. This precision was validated by NASA’s orbital probe, which detected a signal from SLIM’s corner reflector. Such landing accuracy is crucial for future lunar missions, particularly for exploring challenging terrains like the Moon’s south pole, where future bases might be established.

JAXA expressed profound gratitude for the collective efforts of all involved in SLIM’s development and operation, along with the public’s unwavering support. The module, which made an emergency landing due to a malfunctioning engine nozzle, ultimately managed to deploy its onboard camera and gather lunar data despite its overturned position. The unplanned survival through additional lunar nights was a bonus to its core mission, demonstrating SLIM’s robust performance and resilience.

While the SLIM mission has now officially concluded, its legacy of precision and durability might pave the way for future lunar exploration, underscoring the importance of innovative technologies in the quest to explore and understand the Moon.

Source: Space.com

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