Japan’s space agency achieved a major milestone with its first lunar mission, successfully demonstrating a pinpoint landing system that hit the intended target on the moon’s surface. Despite the probe appearing to be upside-down, the improved accuracy of the landing system opens up new possibilities for scientific exploration of the moon.
Unlike previous missions with landing zones 10 kilometers wide, the SLIM mission aimed for a target of just 100 meters, allowing for closer proximity to obstacles and greater access to lunar terrain.
Although a main engine malfunction caused a harder landing than planned, autonomous probes released by SLIM captured images of the box-shaped vehicle on the surface, providing valuable data for analysis.
After careful examination, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) determined that the spacecraft landed approximately 55 meters away from its target, in a region covered in volcanic rock near the Shioli crater.
2024-01-26 01:00:04
Source from phys.org