Sending signals!⁣ ⁣ NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has transmitted a laser pulse to jaxajp’s lander on the Moon and received a return signal.⁣ ⁣ Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) landed their Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on the lunar surface on Jan. 20, 2024. Teams had installed a Laser Retroreflector Array aboard the lander to bounce a signal back to LRO, which it did on May 24, 2024. ⁣ ⁣ This was an important accomplishment because the device is not in an optimal position. Retroreflectors are typically secured to the top of landers, giving LRO a 120-degree range of angles to aim toward when sending laser pulses to the approximate location of a retroreflector. However, the SLIM lander had settled on the surface with its top facing sideways, limiting LRO’s range.⁣ ⁣ With no power or maintenance required, retroreflectors can last on the Moon’s surface for decades and thus provide reliable beacons for future missions.The retroreflectors could guide #Artem...