SLIM登陆月球

2024年1月30日

SLIM Lands on the Moon
Image Credit & Copyright: JAXA, Takara Tomy, Sony Co., Doshisha U.

Explanation: New landers are on the Moon. Nearly two weeks ago, Japan‘s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) released two rovers as it descended, before its main lander touched down itself. The larger of the two rovers can hop like a frog, while the smaller rover is about the size of a baseball and can move after pulling itself apart like a transformer. The main lander, nicknamed Moon Sniper, is seen in the featured image taken by the smaller rover. Inspection of the image shows that Moon Sniper‘s thrusters are facing up, meaning that the lander is upside down from its descent configuration and on its side from its intended landing configuration. One result is that Moon Sniper‘s solar panels are not in the expected orientation, so that powering the lander had to be curtailed and adapted. SLIM‘s lander has already succeeded as a technology demonstration, its main mission, but was not designed to withstand the lunar night — which starts tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s picture: orion rising

SLIM登陆月球
影像提供与版权: JAXA, Takara Tomy, Sony Co., Doshisha U.

说明: 有新的著陆器登上了月球。将近2星期前，日本的”小型登月探测器（SLIM）“在下降时布署了2部月面车，然后主着陆器才着陆。 2部月面车中较大的一部，可以像青蛙一样跳跃，而体型和棒球相近的另一部，则可如变形金刚一样开展后移动。在较小的月面车所拍摄的这幅主题影像里，即可见到昵称为”月球狙击手“的主着陆器。检视这张影像就会发现月球狙击手的推进器是朝上，这意味着着陆器相对于下降时的姿态是上下颠倒，而相对它预期的著陆姿态则是侧向。其结果之一是：月球狙击手的太阳能板不在预期的指向上，因此必须减少和调整着陆器的供电。SLIM着陆器已经成功完成其技术展示的主任务，然而却无法在明天开始的月球夜晚里运转。

明日的图片: orion rising