The unmanned spacecraft called SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon), sent into orbit by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in September, made a soft landing on the Moon at around 00.20 local time. At the press conference held by JAXA, it was stated that the spacecraft re-established communication with the Earth, but could not produce electricity because the solar panels were probably at the wrong angle.
JAXA President Hitoshi Kuninaka said, “SLIM currently only operates on its own battery. “We prioritize transferring their data to the world,” he said.
VERIFICATION WILL TAKE 1 MONTH
It was also stated at the meeting that SLIM, called the “Sniper of the Moon”, managed to land within 100 meters of the designated target, and it was emphasized that thanks to this technology, it will become a powerful tool in the exploration of the Moon’s poles, which are seen as a potential source of oxygen, fuel and water. It was stated that it will take approximately 1 month to verify whether SLIM has achieved its goals.
IT WAS SENT TO ORBIT IN SEPTEMBER
JAXA sent the unmanned spacecraft called SLIM and the astronomical observation satellite called XRISM into orbit with the H2A rocket last September.
In the statement made by JAXA, it was stated that SLIM, which is stated to collect topographic information such as the shape of the Moon craters thanks to its imaging technologies, will reach the Moon orbit in 3-4 months and will attempt a soft landing on the Moon surface in 4-6 months.
It was stated that the XRISM imaging satellite aims to obtain detailed images of stars and galaxies. It was announced that the data collected would be used in the US-led Artemis project, which aims to return people to the Moon by 2025.