Japan Space Research Agency (JAXA)'s 'Moon Sniper' SLIM spacecraft has successfully landed on the Moon. The objective of this historic mission is to land on the lunar surface with greater precision and conduct geological studies there.
About Smart Lander for Investigation Moon (Slim) Lander:
- SLIM, which stands for 'Smart Lander for Investigating Moon', attempted to land on the lunar surface within 100 meters of its intended target. This feat is significantly more precise than conventional landings, where landings by several kilometers are common.
- This success of SLIM has taken Japan to a new height in the field of space research. The success of this mission will open new dimensions in the study of the Moon and create new technical possibilities for future space missions.
- SLIM's landing has proven its ability to land on the lunar surface with greater precision. This will increase the possibilities of study and discovery in special areas of the Moon.
- The success of this mission has established Japan as a major player in the field of space research. This achievement of Japan is a source of inspiration for other countries also.
- This success of SLIM will open new directions in the study of the Moon. This will provide more information about the geological formation of the Moon, the structure of its surface and the resources present there.
- The success of this mission has opened new doors for human presence and research on the Moon. This will increase the possibilities of establishing human settlements and research centers on the Moon in future.
- The weight of this lander is 200 kg. Length is 2.4 meters and width is 2.7 meters. It has excellent radar, laser range finder and vision based navigation system. These equipments have been helpful in accurate landing.
- The cameras installed in it will take very clear pictures of the rocks present on the Moon. It also has Lunar Exploration Vehicle and Lunar Robot. These have been named SORA-Q. Their size is very small and they can be kept on the palm.
According to Yoshifumi Inatani, Deputy Director General of the JAXA Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), succeeding in this highly precise landing will enhance the quality of space exploration. The expected cost to develop the project is 18 billion yen or US$121.5 million.
Japan's moon mission
Smart Lander for Investigation of the Moon (SLIM) is a lunar lander mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Plans in 2017 were for the lander to be launched in 2021, but this was postponed to 2023 due to delays in the SLIM ride share, X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM).
On 6 September 2023 at 23:42 UTC (7 September 08:42 Japan Standard Time), XRISM successfully launched. Later the same day, SLIM parted ways with XRISM. On 1 October 2023, SLIM executed its trans-lunar orbit injection burn. The lander successfully entered lunar orbit on 25 December 2023 and landed at 15:20 UTC on 19 January 2024, making Japan the fifth country to soft-land a spacecraft on the Moon.