Japan launched the Intelligent Lander for Lunar Exploration (SLIM) on the lunar surface on January 20, 2024. Despite the power issue with the lander, the event is of both political and technical importance. This is Japan’s first Moon landing; This makes it only the fifth country in the world to successfully land on the Moon.… Read More »
Japan for at least a few hours a month. The country’s robotic SLIM spacecraft touched down on the lunar surface this morning (January 19), marking a major achievement for Japan: It became the fifth country to land softly on Earth’s nearest neighbor. Yamakawa Hiroshi, head of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), said at the… Read More »
Japan became the fifth country in history to reach the Moon when its spacecraft touched down on the lunar surface early Saturday, officials said. But a problem with the power supply means the mission could be compromised. Officials also said they needed more time to analyze whether the spacecraft, which did not carry an astronaut,… Read More »
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. While the first US Moon landing mission in decades ends without achieving its goal, a spacecraft launched by Japan is approaching the Moon and preparing for a historic landing attempt. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s… Read More »
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. While the first US Moon landing mission in decades ends without achieving its goal, a spacecraft launched by Japan is approaching the Moon and preparing for a historic landing attempt. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s… Read More »
An illustration of JAXA’s SLIM spacecraft on the moon.JAXA We are weeks away from Japan’s attempt to land the SLIM spacecraft on the moon. If SLIM is successful, it will be the first Japanese spacecraft to land on the moon. And Japan will be the third country to set foot on the moon this century,… Read More »