Japan ends extended mission of Moon explorer after losing contact

ANKARA

Japan has terminated the extended mission of Japan's Moon explorer after contact was lost, said the country's space agency.

In a statement on Monday, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said they concluded operations of the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on the lunar surface on Friday after being unable to establish communication with the spacecraft during the operational periods from May to July. The last contact was made on April 28, 2024.

In January this year, Japan had successfully landed a lunar probe on the moon, becoming the fifth country to achieve the feat after the former Soviet Union, the US, China and India.

"A detailed summary of SLIM's achievements will be compiled and reported separately in due course," said the agency.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid