Science News Roundup: Japan's SLIM moon craft short on power after successful lunar landing

Following is a summary of current science news briefs. Japan's SLIM moon craft short on power after successful lunar landing Japan on Saturday became the fifth country to put a spacecraft on the moon, but solar power issues threatened to cut short the nation’s mission to prove a "precision" landing technology and revitalise a space programme that has suffered setbacks.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Japan's SLIM moon craft short on power after successful lunar landing

Japan on Saturday became the fifth country to put a spacecraft on the moon, but solar power issues threatened to cut short the nation’s mission to prove a "precision" landing technology and revitalise a space programme that has suffered setbacks. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) landed the moon's surface at around 12:20 a.m. (1520 GMT Friday), but its solar panels were not able to generate electricity, possibly because they are angled wrong.

(With inputs from agencies.)