Japan’s SLIM spacecraft lands upside down on the moon

SLIM ended up slightly twisted during the landing maneuver. The spacecraft is believed to have entered “a near vertical position with its main engine pointing upwards,” state space agency JAXA said. It relies on data coming from the probe, whose front part points downward.

Solar panels are currently in the shade
Although the probe may land softly, it does not stand upright. This would leave their solar panels facing west and currently in the shade. The unusual situation was seen in photos published by authorities.

The images come from cameras on a small, spherical lunar rover called SORA-Q (pictured below). Shortly before landing, it separated from the SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) spacecraft, along with a second rover that will be used for measurements.

Lander was temporarily shut down
SLIM landed on the moon’s surface on January 20, Japan time. However, the probe’s solar panels stopped providing electricity after landing on Earth’s satellite. As a precaution, the lander was then switched off.

Before the shutdown, a camera on board “SLIM” could still take pictures of the moon’s surface. According to JAXA, one of the two main engines failed due to irregularities during the landing approach.

Japan fifth country with successful landing
On Thursday, the agency expressed its satisfaction with the project, despite the problems with energy supply, as a landing was achieved very close to the intended target. After the former Soviet Union, the US, China and India, Japan has become the fifth country to achieve a soft landing on Earth’s satellite.