Jan 192024
Japan’s SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) made it to the lunar surface. Well… sort of. It accomplished its main goal of a targeted soft landing.
Unfortunately, its solar panels are non-operational. It’s unclear for now why (one speculation I read is that the lander may have tipped over after landing). Its batteries can power it only for a few hours. They’re hoping that perhaps later in the lunar day, or in a next lunar cycle, the lander will get sunlight from the right direction to be able to recharge its batteries after all.
Even so, Japan is now officially the fifth country to have landed a spacecraft on the Moon that remained (at least partially) operational on the lunar surface.