Japanese Landing Robot Targeted To Land In January 2024

JAKARTA The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the latest news from the Smart Lander for Investigation Moon (SLIM). JAXA said that SLIM had been operating smoothly.

If the operation from SLIM continues smoothly, JAXA targets the SLIM landing on January 20 next year. This lander will begin to be directed to descend to the Moon at 12.00 local time and land on the surface 20 minutes later.

However, this landing date is not the only option targeted by JAXA. If conditions do not allow landing in January, SLIM will be directed to land one month later.

"Please note that if the landing is not carried out at the time mentioned above, the next opportunity is scheduled for around February 16, 2024. The SLIM aims to achieve the exact landing with an accuracy of less than 100 meters," JAXA wrote in an official release.

In the near future, SLIM will enter lunar orbit. After entering orbit on December 25, SLIM will begin preparing for landing in mid-January and complete its transition to orbit on January 19.

SLIM was launched on September 7 at the Tanegashima Space Center. The lander was launched in an H-IIA F47 vehicle, a single-use launcher from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI).

Through the SLIM landing, JAXA wants to prove that their lander is capable of landing with high accuracy where they want it. SLIM will explore the moon with a lighter system than other lunar landers.