Japan's lunar lander, known as the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), has managed to defy expectations and endure its third lunar night, a challenging feat on the moon where temperatures can drop drastically during the long periods of darkness. Officials from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) expressed surprise and satisfaction on Wednesday as they announced that SLIM had successfully reestablished communication, allowing it to continue its mission of capturing images and investigating the lunar environment.

According to JAXA, the reconnection with the lunar lander occurred on Tuesday after a period of uncertainty during the moon's night cycle. The news was shared with the public through SLIM's social media account on the platform X, where followers were notified of the successful communication restoration. Additionally, a new image captured by SLIM was released, taken at an early phase of the moon's cycle, resulting in a clearer picture with reduced shadows due to the optimal lighting conditions at that moment in the lunar cycle.