TOKYO. Japan has entered the annals of space exploration history as the fifth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon. In a landmark achievement, Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) executed a soft landing on the lunar surface early Saturday, marking a significant milestone in the country’s space program.
Despite the success of the landing, space officials have indicated that more time is needed to assess whether SLIM achieved its primary mission goal of a pinpoint landing. Complicating matters, the spacecraft’s solar panel failed to generate power, potentially limiting its operational duration on the moon.
Hitoshi Kuninaka, head of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, expressed confidence that SLIM’s small rovers were successfully deployed, with data being transmitted back to Earth. However, the failure of the solar panel has raised concerns about the mission’s longevity.
SLIM, nicknamed “the Moon Sniper,” touched down on the lunar surface at approximately 12:20 a.m. Tokyo time on Saturday. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) initially reported the successful landing but cautioned that further analysis was required to confirm a pinpoint landing.
In order for the mission to be deemed fully successful, space officials must confirm SLIM’s precise landing. Kuninaka acknowledged the need for additional time but expressed optimism based on observed data showing the spacecraft’s movement and its ability to transmit signals post-landing. He noted that the solar panel might not be in the planned angle but remained hopeful.
Despite the solar panel issue, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida celebrated the achievement, expressing the government’s continued support for such endeavors. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also congratulated Japan, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in the U.S.-led multinational Artemis Moon exploration.
SLIM, a lightweight spacecraft roughly the size of a passenger vehicle, utilized “pinpoint landing” technology for greater control than previous moon landings. While most probes have targeted landing zones about 10 kilometers wide, SLIM aimed at a remarkably small target of just 100 meters.
The mission, the result of two decades of precision technology development by JAXA, aimed to test technology allowing precise landings for sustainable, long-term space exploration. SLIM was equipped with a special camera to analyze lunar minerals and seek clues about the moon’s origin.
Japan’s successful moon landing follows the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India. The achievement is a crucial step for Japan to secure its position and contribute to international space projects. Experts believe that Japan’s consistency in precision landing technology is essential for competitiveness in the global space race.
SLIM’s mission is a significant boost for Japan’s space program, which faced setbacks in recent months, including a lunar landing failure in April and a failed rocket launch in March. Japan’s previous successes, including the Hayabusa2 mission to the asteroid Ryugu, have positioned the country as a formidable player in space exploration.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
