Japan’s SLIM Spacecraft Successfully Lands on the Moon, Captures Epic Photo
Japan has achieved a significant milestone in space exploration with the successful landing of its SLIM spacecraft on the moon. This achievement makes Japan the fifth nation in history to accomplish a soft lunar touchdown. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) released a captivating photo of SLIM resting on the moon’s gray dirt, providing visual evidence of this remarkable feat. The photo was taken by a ball-shaped robot named LEV-2, also known as SORA-Q, which was one of two tiny rovers that accompanied SLIM on its journey.
Kintaro Toyama, chairman and representative director of Japanese toy company Takara Tomy, expressed his excitement about this achievement. He highlighted the significance of SORA-Q becoming the first Japanese robot to land on the moon and capture pictures. Toyama extended his gratitude to everyone involved in making this dream a reality, emphasizing the collective effort and support that made it possible.
SLIM, short for “Smart Lander for Investigating Moon,” is a demonstrator spacecraft designed to showcase the technology required for precise planetary landings. It launched in September alongside the XRISM X-ray space telescope, which settled into low Earth orbit. After reaching lunar orbit on Christmas Day, SLIM made its historic descent to the lunar surface on January 19.
Although SLIM encountered some challenges during its landing, it managed to deploy its daughter craft, LEV-2 and LEV-1, as planned. The newly released photo revealed that SLIM had come to rest on its head instead of the desired orientation, preventing its solar panels from generating electricity. However, the successful communication between LEV-1 and LEV-2 confirmed that they operated effectively on the lunar surface. LEV-2, resembling a tennis ball, demonstrated its ability to transform from a spherical shape into two halves and crawl around on the moon.
JAXA announced that SLIM remains alive, albeit silent, on the lunar surface. The mission team is currently preparing for a potential recovery of the lander. A press conference held by JAXA provided updates on the mission’s progress and revealed that there is still hope for a SLIM revival until February 1, when the sun will set at the probe’s landing site.
Regardless of the outcome, Japan has established its lunar-surface credentials through the success of SLIM and its accompanying rovers. This achievement marks a significant step forward in Japan’s space exploration endeavors and contributes to the global understanding of the moon’s mysteries.