Japan has successfully landed its SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) spacecraft on the lunar surface, marking the country’s entry into the league of nations that have achieved moon landings.
The SLIM lander, launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in September, made a soft landing around 15:20 UTC. While the descent and landing were successful, the spacecraft’s solar panel capabilities appeared to be impaired, requiring it to rely on battery power. Despite this setback, JAXA’s president, Hiroshi Yamakawa, confirmed the success of the landing.
Japan is now the fifth country to reach the moon’s surface, following Russia, the U.S., China, and India. The SLIM mission, a cargo research endeavour, carries scientific payloads, including an analysis camera and lunar rovers. This achievement reinforces Japan’s position as a significant player in space exploration.
The global trend of lunar exploration continues, with more attempts planned by various countries and private companies in the coming months.