Japanese SLIM Plane Flying Crossing The Moon Before Landing Next Year

JAXA's SLIM aircraft, a Japanese company, is planned to land next year (photo: dock. JAXA)

JAKARTA - The Smart Lander for Moon Investment (SLIM) belonging to the Japan Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) has finished flying across the moon. Now JAXA is just waiting for time until the SLIM can land perfectly on the moon.

SLIM has been launched since September 6 and has successfully crossed an altitude of nearly 5,000 kilometers from the lunar surface. The aircraft is traveling at a speed of 1.47 kilometers per second.

By flying along the track, fuel is expected to enter lunar orbit more efficiently than burning brakes during flights.

Reporting fromSpacenews, SLIM is in a long orbit at the moment. The plane was spinning before returning to the moon at the end of the year. SLIM will seek to land in January 2024.

JAXA plans to land a SLIM in the mid-latitude crater of Shioli. The takeoff will begin when the SLIM is 100 meters from the predetermined location.

In order for this mission to succeed, SLIM is paired with five aluminum feet which can help land and decrease on the lunar slopes. If SLIM manages to land on its five feet, Japan will be the fifth country to land on the moon.

So far, the four countries that have landed their explorers are the Soviet Union, the United States, China, and India. However, Japan could fail to become the fifth country because Intuitive Machines plan to launch Nova-C in mid-November.