Earlier today Japan achieved a milestone in space exploration with the successful landing of its spacecraft, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), on the lunar surface. This event makes Japan the fifth nation to accomplish a soft landing on the moon, joining the ranks of other spacefaring nations such as the Soviet Union, the United States, China, and India.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) confirmed that SLIM touched down on the moon around 12:20 a.m. Japan standard time on January 20. While the spacecraft has established communication with Earth, it faced a challenge with its solar cells not generating electricity, and relying on its battery power for operations.
SLIM’s mission was ambitious, aiming for a “pinpoint” landing within 100 meters of its target, a significant advancement compared to the usual kilometers-range accuracy in lunar landings. This precision is crucial for exploring the moon’s hilly pole regions, which are believed to contain essential resources.
Upon landing near the Shioli crater in a volcanic rock-covered area, SLIM embarked on a mission to analyze lunar rocks, providing insights into the moon’s origins. The landing process involved a detailed scanning of the landing site to avoid any obstacles that could hinder a smooth landing.
Launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan on September 7, SLIM’s journey to the moon was part of a dual mission, accompanying the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM). While XRISM stayed in low-Earth orbit, SLIM continued its fuel-efficient path to the moon.
The success of SLIM’s landing marks a crucial advancement in Japan’s space capabilities and signifies the challenges and complexities inherent in space missions. JAXA’s continued analysis of SLIM’s landing precision will provide valuable data for future lunar exploration missions.
This achievement by Japan not only enhances our understanding of the moon but also represents a significant contribution to the collective efforts in space exploration and scientific research on a global scale
