Japan’s Moon Landing: A Brief Overview of SLIM’s Challenges and Achievements

Japan’s space agency, JAXA, made history on a recent Friday afternoon when it confirmed that its Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM) had successfully touched down on the lunar surface. This marked the fifth time a country had achieved a moon landing, joining the United States, China, India, and Russia in this elite club. However, the celebration was short-lived as it became apparent that SLIM was facing significant challenges.

The landing was a remarkable feat, with SLIM’s precision landing technology putting it within 100 meters of its target, the Shioli crater. The spacecraft had been called the “Moon Sniper” due to its advanced landing capabilities. However, upon making contact with the lunar surface, it became clear that SLIM was not out of the woods yet.

One of the primary issues that emerged was with the lander’s solar cell. This component was essential for generating electricity to power the spacecraft and transmit data back to Earth. Unfortunately, it was not functioning as planned. The lack of electricity meant that the battery, which was already limited in capacity, would soon run out. In its current state, SLIM may only have a few hours left before it was forced to shut down.

Despite this setback, JAXA remained optimistic. They believed that the issue with the solar cell might be as simple as the panels not being in the right position to receive sunlight. If this were the case, SLIM could start charging once the sun changed position. However, more time was needed to understand the root cause of the problem.

Meanwhile, two small rovers, LEV-1 and LEV-2, which had accompanied SLIM to the moon, were able to separate from the lander as planned and appeared to be in working condition. JAXA focused its efforts on maximizing the operational time it had left with SLIM to gather as much data as possible.

The failure of the solar cell was a significant blow to the mission, but it was not the first setback for Japan’s lunar exploration efforts. The latest American attempt, the privately led Peregrine Mission One, had also ended in failure. The spacecraft, which was supposed to make a soft landing on the moon, began leaking propellant shortly after its launch on January 8. Despite hanging on for several more days and even reaching lunar distance, it had no chance of a successful landing. Astrobotic, the company behind the lander, confirmed that Peregrine made a controlled reentry, burning up in Earth’s atmosphere over the South Pacific.

Despite these challenges, JAXA remained committed to its lunar exploration goals. The agency was planning to hold another press conference the following week to share more updates on SLIM’s status and the data it had managed to collect. The successful landing, even if short-lived, was a significant achievement for Japan and a testament to its determination and expertise in space exploration.

In conclusion, Japan’s moon landing with SLIM was a remarkable achievement, but it was not without its challenges. The failure of the solar cell was a significant setback, but JAXA remained optimistic and focused on maximizing the operational time it had left with the spacecraft. The agency’s commitment to lunar exploration, despite the setbacks, was a testament to its determination and expertise in the field. The future held many possibilities for Japan’s lunar exploration program, and SLIM’s brief time on the lunar surface was just the beginning.