Japan Prepares for Precision Landing Mission with "Moon Sniper"

Japan is on a mission to join the exclusive club of countries that have landed spacecraft on the moon. This Friday, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is attempting a precise landing with its "moon sniper" probe. If successful, Japan would become the fifth country to achieve this feat, marking a significant milestone for a space program that has faced challenges and competition, especially from China.

The goal of the mission is to land the probe within an impressive 100 meters (328 feet) of its target. JAXA describes this as an unprecedented achievement, crucial for exploring moon water and assessing the potential for human habitation.

Japan is increasingly interested in expanding its role in space, collaborating with its close ally, the United States, to counter China's advancements in military and technology, including space endeavors. Japan has a growing number of private-sector space startups and aims to contribute an astronaut to NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon.

However, JAXA has faced setbacks, including a launch failure of its flagship rocket H3 in March. This setback was particularly disappointing as the rocket was designed to compete cost-effectively with commercial providers like SpaceX.

The current mission, named the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), is set to begin its 20-minute touchdown phase on Saturday. The target site is about the size of two athletic tracks on the slope of a crater just south of the lunar equator.

JAXA emphasizes the importance of its high-precision technology for future exploration of hilly moon poles, seen as potential sources of oxygen, fuel, and water. Japan is also planning a joint lunar exploration with India in 2025.

While Japan acknowledges it may not match the resources of the United States, China, or India in lunar project development, it focuses on developing sought-after technologies. These include pinpoint landing and near-infrared cameras, which other exploration projects worldwide may adopt.

Despite challenges, Japan has a history of success in space operations, having landed twice on small asteroids. The precision landing attempted by SLIM may not be a game-changer, but it could pave the way for cost-effective moon missions globally, according to experts.

JAXA estimates it will take about a month to confirm whether SLIM has achieved its high-precision landing goals. Upon landing, SLIM will deploy two mini-probes—a hopping vehicle and a wheeled rover—to capture images of the spacecraft. These robots were jointly developed by tech giant Sony Group, toymaker Tomy, and several Japanese universities.

japan moon landing

Japanese lunar lander

jaxa moon landing

japan moon landing live stream

NASA discovers city lights

japan moon lander

lunar lander failure

axiom mission 3

spacex

jaxa

japan moon

jaxa slim

moon sniper

peregrine moon lander