Japan's Moon lander comes back to life

Japan's Moon lander has come back to life, the space agency said Monday, enabling the craft to proceed with its mission of investigating the lunar surface despite its rocky start. The surprise announcement was a boost to Japan's space programme, nine days after the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down at a wonky angle that left its solar panels facing the wrong way. JAXA said on social media platform X, posting a grainy image of a lunar rock known as "toy poodle". Russia, China and other countries from South Korea to the United Arab Emirates are also trying their luck to reach the Moon. In 2022, the country unsuccessfully sent a lunar probe named Omotenashi as part of the United States' Artemis 1 mission.