Tokyo, Feb 26 (AP) Japan's first moon lander responded to a signal from Earth, suggesting it has survived a second freezing weekslong lunar night, Japan's space agency said on Monday.

JAXA called the signal, received late on Sunday night, a “miracle” because the probe was not designed to survive the lunar night, when temperatures can fall to minus 170 degrees Celsius (minus 274 degrees Fahrenheit).

Also Read | Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif's Daughter Maryam Nawaz Becomes First Woman Chief Minister of Punjab Province.

The craft, Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, made a “pinpoint” touchdown on January 20, making Japan became the fifth country to successfully place a probe on the moon.

But the probe landed the wrong way up, with its solar panels initially unable to see the sun and had to be turned off within hours.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Russian Missiles Hit Ukrainian Cities, Killing Five and Injuring 10.

SLIM regained power on the eighth day after its landing, when it got the sun.

For several days, SLIM collected geological data from moon rocks, before going back into hibernation in late January to wait out another lunar night.

JAXA said Sunday's communication was kept short because it was still “lunar midday” and SLIM was at a very high temperature, about 100 Celsius (212 Fahrenheit). JAXA is now preparing to make contact again when the vehicle has cooled.

Scientists are hoping to find clues about the origin of the moon by the comparing mineral compositions of moon rocks and those of Earth. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)