Japan has called an end to its SLIM moon mission after failing to make contact with the lander since April.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on a H-IIA rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center on Sep. 7, 2023. The diminutive lander made a successful, yet lopsided, landing on the rim of Shioli Crater on Jan. 19 this year. Designed to operate for a single lunar day on the surface, the 440 pounds (200 kilograms) solar-powered lander sprang a major surprise by surviving three separate frigid lunar nights.
