Japan's JAXA agency launched the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) and X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) on 7 September 2023 via H-IIA rocket, which will land on the Moon early next year.
The H-IIA rocket successfully lifted off from the launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima, southern Japan. This launch will make India the fourth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the Moon with the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
Objective of rocket launching
The objective of this space mission is to help scientists understand celestial object formation and the formation of the universe. The mission was conducted in collaboration with NASA and will include studying light at different wavelengths, measuring temperature and analyzing the size and brightness of celestial objects.
Information about Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM)
Smart Lander for Exploration of the Moon (SLIM) is a lunar lander developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The lander will perform the precision landing technique. SLIM was launched with the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) space telescope, and is scheduled to land near Shioli Crater (13.3°S, 25.2°E). The expected cost of developing this project is 18 billion yen.
SLIM is Japan's first lunar surface mission, and aims to perform a precise, accurate lunar landing. During the landing on the Moon, the lander will identify lunar craters by applying technology from facial recognition systems, and determine its current location using observation data collected by the SELENE (Kaguya) lunar orbiter mission. SLIM aims to land on soft land with an accuracy range of 100 m (330 ft).