Japan marked a historic milestone in lunar exploration as the Intelligent Landing Vehicle for Lunar Exploration, known as SLIM, achieved a controlled touchdown on the Moon. JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, announced the successful landing on its official website and shared highlights on its YouTube channel, signaling a new era in precise, surface-level navigation for Japan’s space program.
The lunar contact occurred near the surface at roughly 00:20 on January 20, Japan time, which corresponds to 18:20 on January 19 in Moscow time. This precise timing underscores Japan’s capability to deliver a spacecraft that can place itself with exceptional accuracy on the lunar surface, a key objective for the Moon Sniper mission.
JAXA outlined a clear goal for SLIM: to touch down within 100 meters of the planned target and to demonstrate landing precision that aligns with the mission’s name. The agency also indicated that a thorough verification process would follow, potentially extending up to a month to confirm landing accuracy and system reliability.
Japan has faced setbacks in lunar ambitions before. Earlier in 2023, a private Japanese space company called Ispace attempted to land the Hakuto-R on the Moon, but the mission did not achieve a successful touchdown. This hiccup highlighted the challenges of shallow, controlled lunar landings and reinforced JAXA’s resolve as it pursued a more robust, second attempt.
Since the early days of lunar exploration, several nations have achieved Moon landings, including the Soviet Union, the United States, China, and India. Each milestone has deepened our understanding of the lunar environment, the physics of landing under tough conditions, and the engineering required for long term space missions. The SLIM mission adds another significant chapter to the ongoing international story of lunar exploration.
During its flight tests, SLIM captured the first photographs of the lunar surface from an orbital vantage point, providing essential context for assessing its landing approach and surface operations. The initial imagery supported validation of software models, sensor fusion algorithms, and the overall reliability of onboard navigation and control systems, which are vital for achieving Moon Sniper objectives and for future explorations beyond this mission. Source: JAXA