The Japanese lunar module Slim has "resumed operations", the Japanese space agency (Jaxa) announced on Monday January 29, suggesting that power had been restored on board.

“Last night we managed to establish communication with Slim and resumed operations,” Jaxa said on the social network X, formerly Twitter.

Read alsoIn pictures: the first photos of the moon landing of the Japanese Slim probe

“We immediately began scientific observations” with the onboard camera, said Jaxa, which also posted a photograph taken by the module showing the rock called “Toy Poodle”, on the lunar soil.

The Slim module (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) made a historic moon landing on January 20, 55 meters from its initial target, a very high degree of precision, making Japan the fifth country in the world to successfully land on the satellite. natural world of the Earth after the United States, the USSR, China and India.

But Jaxa announced shortly after that Slim could not use its solar panels, forcing it to cut off its power supply less than three hours after the moon landing, to save its batteries for a possible restart.

With AFP

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