Japan became the fifth country to land on the moon, but JAXA reported a problem
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Japan has become the fifth country to send its lunar sniper robotic spacecraft to the moon. He made a soft landing on the surface of the satellite. It happened on January 19, Kyiv time, and January 20, Tokyo time.
However, there was a problem with the solar panels – they stopped producing electricity, Reuters and the Washington Post reported.
According to the director general of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Hitoshi Kuninaka, most of the equipment of the lander is working. The device has already contacted the Earth, which indicates that it did not crash.
Kuninaka added that the solar panel installed on the ship is probably not producing electricity because it is positioned at the wrong angle.
| Photo: JAXA |
“It takes 30 days for the moon to change its solar angle. So, when the direction of the sunlight changes, the light can fall on the solar cell“, explained Kuninaka.
JAXA hopes that changing the angle of sunlight will “trigger” power to the solar cells.
The SLIM mission is a smart unmanned lander that was launched in September. It was called the “Moon Sniper” because it contains new precision technology to demonstrate a “point” landing.
The technology, according to JAXA, will be a powerful tool in the future in the study of the hilly poles of the moon, which are considered as potential sources of water, oxygen and fuel.
““Moon Sniper” undoubtedly made a landing with an accuracy of 100 meters“, Kuninaka confirmed, but added that it would take about a month to check.
Japan’s lunar probe is about the size of a truck. It is equipped with cameras and sensors for precise landing that can detect obstacles such as large boulders.
“Moon Sniper” has the ability to determine its location. For this, the on-board computer compares images from its cameras with maps made by orbital ships during previous missions.
The ship is equipped with two small lunar rovers that ejected shortly before landing. One of them is equipped with cameras to photograph the landing site.
Once on the surface, he transformed into a “turtle” with wheels for movement. Another probe is designed to explore the area around the spacecraft.
Despite everything, Japan did become the fifth country to make a soft landing on the moon. Before it, only the Soviet Union, the United States, China and India did it.
It will be recalled that the American spaceship Peregrine One, which was supposed to deliver the flag of Ukraine to the moon, burned up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Read also: NASA predicts that people will live on the moon already this decade
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