Japan has achieved a significant milestone in its space exploration efforts, with a Japanese robot successfully landing on the Moon. Named the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (Slim), the robot touched down on the lunar surface near an equatorial crater. This accomplishment makes Japan the fifth country to soft-land on Earth’s natural satellite, joining the ranks of the US, the Soviet Union, China, and India.
However, the mission is facing a critical challenge as the craft’s solar power system is experiencing problems. The solar cells of Slim are not generating electricity, leaving the robot entirely dependent on its batteries. Eventually, these batteries will discharge, causing the craft to go silent. In response to this issue, engineers are currently working to save the mission by implementing various measures.
Engineers have already turned off heaters and are retrieving data and images from the craft to assess its performance. Japanese space agency (Jaxa) officials remain hopeful that Slim may regain functionality if the solar cells realign to face the Sun. As the angle of light changes on the Moon, there is a possibility that Slim could be revived. Despite the solar power glitch, Jaxa Vice President, Hitoshi Kuninaka, stated that the mission can still be considered a soft landing success as the craft is still transmitting data to Earth.
Slim is equipped with two small rovers and an infrared camera to study the local geology of the Moon. However, the amount of investigation that can be conducted within the limited timeframe remains uncertain. Landing on the Moon has historically been a challenging endeavor, with only around half of all attempts succeeding. Jaxa placed its faith in new precision-navigation technologies, utilizing rapid image processing and crater mapping to avoid hazards and achieve a precise touchdown.
Preliminary data suggests that Slim’s technologies operated as intended, achieving a pinpoint landing with 100m accuracy. However, a thorough analysis of the information will be conducted over the next month to confirm these results. The descent maneuvers of Slim began from an altitude of 15km (9 miles) and culminated in a successful touchdown near Shioli Crater.
While the current landing location is illuminated by sunlight, the onset of lunar night at the end of the month poses a challenge. The extreme drop in temperatures during lunar night could potentially damage the electronic circuit boards of Slim. Jaxa has previously landed robots on asteroids and their successful Moon touchdown further solidifies their reputation in the field of space exploration. In fact, Jaxa will play a substantial role in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface after more than 50 years.
This recent achievement comes after the unsuccessful attempts of other organizations to land on the Moon. Last year, a private Japanese company, iSpace, experienced a crash due to altitude confusion. Additionally, the private American company Astrobotic faced propulsion issues, preventing it from attempting a touchdown. The successful landing of Slim signifies a pivotal moment in Japan’s space exploration endeavors and showcases their precision landing capabilities.
In the era of numerous lunar missions involving different nations and organizations, the collective knowledge gained from both successful and unsuccessful attempts contributes to the advancement of future missions. Dr. Simeon Barber from the UK’s Open University highlights the significance of precision landing and recognizes Japan’s achievement. Dr. Emma Gatti from the digital magazine SpaceWatch Global applauds Japan’s historic accomplishment, emphasizing the importance for the country and their investments in space exploration.
Japan’s successful soft landing on the Moon brings them tremendous pride and prestige. Their achievement demonstrates that a country of smaller size can undertake significant space exploration endeavors, rivaling larger nations like China and the United States. As Japan continues to contribute to the scientific understanding of the Moon, their accomplishments pave the way for future missions and inspire further exploration of our celestial neighbor.
