​The Japanese space agency JAXA announced that it managed to re-establish contact with the SLIM space module, which on January 19 made a high-precision landing of a satellite a few meters from the intended target. We remind you that after selenization, communication with SLIM was lost, but everything is resolved.

JAXA now says the probe’s batteries are working and the mission can continue its series of scientific observations. It is expected that the connection can be maintained for a few more days.

Due to a problem with the engine, which occurred during the last tens of meters of descent, the module ended up in an inclined position in the rocky lunar crater Shioli, 300 meters in diameter. The connection was lost because the photovoltaic cells were no longer receiving sunlight due to the position of the probe.

The SLIM space module, which arrived on the moon on January 19, made a precision landing, which was one of the main objectives of the mission. The goal was to get within 100 meters of a specific point, and in the field positioning was achieved within a few meters of the target.

The Japanese say that the accuracy of the satellite is high, and although the data still needs to be analyzed, it can be estimated to be 3-4 meters from the target point, which is extraordinary.

High accuracy means less than 100 meters from the intended point. The probes that landed were usually several kilometers away from the intended point, which means a lot and complicates the search mission.

Accuracy will be vital for much more complex missions in the future, when much larger payloads will be sent to the moon, and it will be important that they don’t end up too far from where they’re supposed to be. This technology will also be used by NASA in future Artemis missions.

Source AFP