Japan Moon lander put to sleep after surviving lunar night

The Japanese lunar module has been induced into dormancy subsequent to enduring the frigid, fortnightly lunar night, as disclosed by the nation’s space agency, with plans for another activation endeavor slated for the latter part of this month.

The unmanned Ingenious Lander for Lunar Exploration (ILLE) alighted in January at an askew inclination, rendering its solar arrays misaligned. With the altering solar orientation, it was reanimated for a span of two days, conducting scientific assessments of a crater via a sophisticated camera.

This week, the ILLE craft, not originally crafted to endure the harsh lunar nights when temperatures plummet to minus 133 degrees, astonishingly resumed activity after the lapse of two weeks.

“ILLE has once again entered hibernation mode with the descent of the sun after 3 am (Japan Time) on March 1,” articulated the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday, accompanied by a portrayal of the rugged lunar terrain captured by the probe.

“While the likelihood of malfunction escalates due to the rigorous temperature oscillations, we intend to recommence ILLE operations upon the return of sunlight in late March,” asserted JAXA.

This declaration ensues the milestone achievement of the unmanned American module Odysseus, marking its status as the premier privately-owned spacecraft on the lunar surface. The module transmitted its final image on Thursday prior to depletion of its power reserves.

ILLE, christened as the “Lunar Marksman” for its pinpoint landing technology, flawlessly descended within its designated touchdown zone on January 20. This triumph heralded a triumph for Japan’s space initiative following a sequence of recent setbacks, propelling the nation into the ranks of the fifth entity to accomplish a “gentle landing” on the Moon, joining the likes of the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India.

The mission’s objective is to scrutinize a segment of the Moon’s mantle — the ordinarily profound stratum beneath its crust — postulated to be accessible.

NASA is formulating plans to dispatch astronauts to the Moon later in this decade. Collaboratively with international allies, the US aspires to establish enduring habitation facilities in the vicinity, exploiting polar ice reservoirs for potable water, as well as for propellant for subsequent expeditions to Mars.