Japan's Moon Lander Comes Back To Life

SLIM's January 20 touchdown made Japan only the fifth nation to achieve a "soft landing" on the Moon after the United States, the Soviet Union, China and India. (Credit: AFP)

Japan's Moon lander has come back to life, the space agency said Monday, enabling the craft to proceed with its mission of investigating the lunar surface despite its rocky start.

The surprise announcement was a boost to Japan's space programme, nine days after the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down at a wonky angle that left its solar panels facing the wrong way.