Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is set to launch the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on August 26. If successful, it will be JAXA's first lunar landing.
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Missions
SLIM will launch as a "ride-share" payload alongside the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), a collaboration between NASA and JAXA.
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Objectives
The small-scale SLIM mission aims to demonstrate precise lunar landing techniques, which could potentially revolutionize lunar and planetary study.
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XRISM's cosmic study
Meanwhile, XRISM will study extreme objects in the universe. It will be able to detect X-rays emitted by gas released from galaxy clusters.
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Enhanced view
Notably, XRISM's onboard X-ray imager can provide a field of view that is "60% larger than the average apparent size of the full Moon."
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Launch
The missions will launch atop a Mitsubishi H-2A rocket from Tanegashima Space Center on Saturday.