"Japan's Lunar Lander Overcomes Challenges to Capture First Images of Moon's Surface"
TL;DR Summary
Japan's SLIM lunar lander, the fifth spacecraft to successfully land on the moon, captured images of the lunar surface before shutting down to conserve power. The images reveal a barren, rocky landscape with boulders, and were created by compiling over 250 low-res photographs. Despite the lander tipping over and its solar cells pointing away from the sun, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) hopes to power it back on to take spectroscopic photos for a better understanding of the moon's chemical composition.
- SEE IT: Japan Lunar Lander's First Pictures of the Moon The Messenger
- Japan's powered-down "Moon Sniper" lunar lander achieves major goals, despite engine malfunction CBS News
- Japan Explains How It Made an Upside-Down Moon Landing The New York Times
- Photo shows Japan's spacecraft is lying on its side on the moon The Washington Post
- Despite engine malfunction, powered-down Japanese moon lander achieves major goals – Spaceflight Now Spaceflight Now
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