Japanese space agency's lunar robot is made by a toymaker
Japan is gearing up for its 'Moon Sniper' mission, set to take place today around 3:00pm GMT (8:30pm IST). If successful, an onboard robot created by Takara Tomy, the company behind the Transformers toys, will explore the lunar surface. Japan hopes to become the fifth nation to achieve a soft lunar landing, following the US, China, India, and the former Soviet Union.
Details of the SORA-Q robot
The SORA-Q robot, designed by Takara Tomy, will be released onto the Moon's surface just before the lander will touch down. Initially a sphere with an eight-centimeter diameter, the robot will split into two on touching the lunar surface. It will transform into two independently controlled wheels with a wishbone-like tail for stability. A camera module will also pop up from its core.
It will last for roughly 2 hours
Hirano Daichi, Associate Senior Researcher at JAXA's Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center, said that with Takara Tomy's assistance, they "reduced the number of components used in the vehicle as much as possible and increased its reliability." The small robot will "enjoy a burst of activity" before its battery dies around two hours after landing. Besides Tomy, the robot was made with the help of Doshisha University and Sony, which provided a control board and camera.
Takara Tomy created the famous Transformers toys
Founded in 1924 by Eiichiro Tomiyama, TOMY Company Ltd was a Japanese toymaker. It took over the Takara toy company in 2006, to form Takara Tomy. The company's most famous creations are the Diaclone and Micro Change toy lines. They are alien robots that can morph into a bevy of vehicles. They were licensed to Hasbro in the 1980s, which branded them as what we know now as Transformers.
What about the SLIM lander?
Launched in September last year, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) aims to practice "pinpoint landing" on specific lunar targets. JAXA's press kit states that "the landing accuracy of conventional lunar landers is several or sometimes a dozen kilometers." The SLIM lander is designed to land within 100 meters of its target near the Shioli crater by the moon's Mare Nectaris (Sea of Nectar).
Unique shock absorbers for soft landing
SLIM's moon landing will be softened by five unique shock absorbers that resemble a mix of chain mail and an inverted geodesic dome. These 3D-printed aluminum components form a spongelike grid that deforms upon contact with the ground. JAXA has earlier succeeded in placing a probe on an asteroid but admits that landing on the Moon is more challenging due to differences in gravity.
Future lunar missions and international collaboration
JAXA is working with Toyota to develop a crewed lunar rover for future manned missions, using data from the SLIM lander. Japan plans to launch another rover to the lunar south pole in 2025, partnering with India's ISRO to drill and sample potential sources of lunar water.
