MANILA — Japan achieved a significant milestone by becoming the fifth nation to accomplish a soft lunar landing on Saturday (20 Jan 2024).
However, the success was tempered by the revelation that its lunar spacecraft, the “Moon Sniper,” was facing a critical power shortage due to a solar battery issue.
The Japanese space agency, JAXA, reported that after a suspenseful 20-minute descent, their Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) successfully landed on the lunar surface, establishing communication.
Unfortunately, the solar cells, essential for power supply, were not functioning optimally. Hitoshi Kuninaka, a JAXA official, disclosed that the “Moon Sniper,” renowned for its precision technology, had only a few hours of power left.
SLIM is part of a series of new lunar missions initiated by both governments and private entities, marking 50 years since the first human Moon landing.
Accompanying this achievement, a photo from 2022, released on January 18, 2024, by JAXA, Takara Tomy, Sony Group Corp., and Doshisha University, showcased the transformable lunar surface robot, ‘SORA-Q,’ installed on the lunar module for the SLIM mission at an undisclosed location. The historic lunar touchdown by Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ signifies a notable advancement in precision technology.
The challenges of lunar exploration are evident, with crash landings and communication failures common.
Only four other countries— the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and most recently, India—have successfully reached the Moon.
(Sourced online/el Amigo/MNM)