Japan's powered-down "Moon Sniper" lunar lander achieves major goals, despite engine malfunction

Japan’s powered-down “Moon Sniper” lunar lander achieves major goals, despite engine malfunction

January 25, 2024 Benjamin Hughes

One of two engines powering a Japanese moon lander during its descent to the lunar surface Jan. 19 suffered a malfunction of some sort just 160 feet above the lunar surface that sharply reduced its power, the Japanese space agency said Thursday.

The spacecraft touched down at a safe, lower-than-expected velocity, but it was moving too fast sideways because of the unbalanced thrust. As a result, the otherwise-healthy probe apparently tipped over on landing, leaving its solar cells, attached to the upper surface of the craft, pointed to the west, directly away from the sun.

Unable to generate electricity, the spacecraft had only the limited power available in its on-board battery.

Press conference on the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM)'s moon landing mission, in Tokyo — Journalists look at a screen showing an image taken by LEV-2 on the moon, at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)’s news conference on the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM)’s moon landing mission, in Tokyo, on Jan. 25, 2024.

KIM KYUNG-HOON / REUTERS

After downloading stored images and collecting as much science and engineering data as possible, flight controllers sent commands to shut the probe down 37 minutes after landing, before the battery was completely drained. That should improve the chances it will eventually “wake up” as the 14-day lunar day-night cycle proceeds and the angle to the sun changes.

plans to launch its own commercial moon lander in mid February.

William Harwood

Bill Harwood has been covering the U.S. space program full-time since 1984, first as Cape Canaveral bureau chief for United Press International and now as a consultant for CBS News.

Source: cbsnews.com