Japan gears up for first-ever moon landing on January 19
Japan aims to make history with its SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) spacecraft, which is scheduled to land on the Moon on January 19. If all goes well, this will mark the first-ever soft lunar landing for Japan. The robotic probe will begin its descent at around 8:30pm IST, with touchdown expected about 20 minutes later. That feat will make Japan the fifth nation to land a probe on the Moon, joining the US, Soviet Union, China, and India.
What is the objective of SLIM?
SLIM aims to achieve a "pinpoint landing" with an accuracy of less than 330 feet. The target landing location is near a small crater named Shioli in the lunar equatorial region. "This marks an unprecedentedly high-precision landing on a gravitational body such as the Moon, and the results are anticipated to contribute to the programs such as international space exploration that are currently under study," according to Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
How high-precision landings could boost space exploration
If SLIM executes a precise lunar landing, it would mark a major milestone for lunar exploration and planetary studies. Precision landings will allow access to scientifically interesting locations, allowing spacecraft to land at desired locations rather than merely where it's convenient. SLIM is carrying two mini probes that will deploy onto the lunar surface after landing. These probes will photograph the touchdown site, help monitor SLIM's status, and provide an independent communication system for direct communication with Earth, per JAXA.
Japan's previous Moon landing attempt was unsuccessful
This isn't the first time that Japan will attempt a lunar landing. In April, the Hakuto-R lander, designed by Tokyo-based company iSpace, successfully reached the lunar orbit. However, the spacecraft crashed while trying to land, after getting confused by the rim of a Moon crater.
SLIM's journey
SLIM launched on September 6 on a Japanese H-2A rocket. The 8.8-foot-long probe shared its ride with an X-ray space telescope called XRISM. While XRISM entered low Earth orbit, SLIM started its fuel-efficient journey to the moon. The spacecraft is planned to reach the lunar orbit on December 25, after which it will spend nearly a month preparing for its groundbreaking touchdown attempt. If the landing does not happen in January, JAXA has a backup date around February 16, 2024.
