As of: February 28, 2024, 10:08 a.m
By: Tanja Banner
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Two space probes are active on the moon at the same time and send data to Earth.
One of them surprisingly survived an ice-cold moonlit night.
Munich - There's a lot going on on the moon at the moment: two space probes are currently active there at the same time.
The “Odysseus” space probe, which recently overturned during the moon landing, is currently transmitting data and images to Earth.
The Japanese space probe “Slim”, which landed upside down in January, is also back in operation.
“Slim” survived a frosty and dark moonlit night and woke up again unexpectedly – that wasn’t planned.
Typically, lunar landers are designed to remain active on the moon as long as they receive sunlight.
With the start of the cold and dark lunar night, which lasts about 14 days, it becomes too cold for the space probes - they are not designed to survive the cold of around -160 degrees.
Nevertheless, the Japanese space organization Jaxa announced last Monday (February 26) on !”
There's a lot going on on the moon: “Slim” and “Odysseus” are active
However, communication with “Slim” was interrupted again after a short time because it was still midday on the moon and the temperatures were very high for communication technology.
However, it should continue as soon as the temperatures have dropped slightly.
It cannot be seen from Earth, but there are currently two active space probes on the Moon communicating with Earth.
(Symbolic image) © IMAGO/Norbert Neetz
“Slim” was the first Japanese space probe to make a soft landing on the moon.
This made Japan the fifth nation to successfully complete a soft lunar landing in January.
Before Japan, only the former Soviet Union, the USA, China and India were on this exclusive list.
Now Japan is also one of them – and Intuitive Machines.
This is the private US company responsible for the Odysseus spacecraft.
The landing of this spacecraft marked the first lunar landing by a private company and the return of the United States to the moon after nearly 52 years.
Two moon landings in two months: Two space probes send data from the moon
Like “Slim”, “Odysseus” did not land on the moon as planned, but tipped over after landing.
This could mean that the spacecraft's energy may soon run out.
However, “Odysseus” is currently still sending images and data to Earth – just like the Japanese “Slim” space probe that landed a few weeks ago.
Multiple active probes on the moon – that could become normal
It is still unusual for two space probes to be active on the moon at the same time and send data to Earth.
But this could become the norm in the future if the lunar plans of space organizations like NASA develop as planned.
Then there could be a space station orbiting the moon, a research station on the moon and regular stays by astronauts on the celestial body.
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However, before this happens, further unmanned lunar landings will be carried out.
NASA, for example, is planning to send a rover on one of the next flights to the moon to examine the ice at the moon's south pole.
This would be of great importance for future lunar missions - including as a source of water for humans and as fuel for their rockets.
Humans are not expected to set foot on the moon again until 2026 at the earliest.
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