As the sun sets over the landing site, Japan's SLIM lunar lander enters sleep mode again. As the lunar day ends, the robot spacecraft begins to lose power, and now it faces 14 days of cold lunar nights, which it may not survive.
Although SLIM only came back online a few days ago, the clock is already ticking on the Smart Lander (SLIM) surveying the moon. On January 19, 2024, it bounced a bit while landing on Mare Nectaris, south of Theophilus Crater, and landed on its nose. This orients the solar panels in the wrong direction and prevents the batteries from charging.
On January 29, the sun moved to a position where it could shine on the panels, returning them to full working condition. Unfortunately, because SLIM's panels were facing west, it was also late in the lunar day, meaning the spacecraft's new life was short-lived.
However, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is optimistic, saying it hopes SLIM can be revived after the next lunar dawn in mid-February. However, the lander has no heating system, and when temperatures drop to minus 208°F (minus 130°C), the darkness and cold of the long night are enough to damage the spacecraft's batteries and electronics beyond repair, but time will tell.