Japan staked a claim among national space powers on Fri, Jan 19, 2024, as its SLIM spacecraft reached the lunar surface.
The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) probe began its “power descent sequence” towards the lunar surface early Saturday local time (15:00 GMT Friday).
The space agency said its unmanned spacecraft is currently on the moon, but is still “checking its status”. More details will be given at a news conference that is expected shortly.
By accomplishing this feat, Japan became the world’s fifth country to put a spacecraft on the moon, using a technology it calls unprecedented and crucial for advancing lunar exploration, particularly in the quest for lunar water and the potential for human habitation.
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Governments and private companies alike have made more than 50 attempts to land on the moon with mixed success since the first attempts in the early 1960s, a track record that’s remained shaky even in the modern era.
Last year, Japanese company Space made its first attempt to land on the moon, but the spacecraft crashed in the final moments. And, earlier this month, U.S. company Astrobotic got its first moon mission off the ground but encountered problems shortly after launch. The flight was cut short and failed to make a lunar landing attempt.
Only four other nations have successfully landed on the moon – India, China, the US, and Russia. Japan is actively participating in NASA’s Artemis program to send one of its astronauts to the moon.
