However, the mission's lifetime will probably be much shorter than planned due to problems with the solar power generation
In a dramatic weekend, Japan managed to land on the surface of the moon, with its SLIM space lander completing a successful landing after midnight on Saturday. However, a technical issue related to SLIM's ability to use solar power makes the mission of unspecified risk.
With its success, Japan became the fifth country to land a spacecraft on the moon, after the USA, Russia, China and India. Japanese space agency JAXA officials said they have good reason to believe the landing was soft and precise, but they need more time to confirm whether the mission achieved its goal of landing within 100 meters of its intended target.
The landing was successful despite technical difficulties. JAXA representatives announced that the vehicle's solar panels do not generate electricity and the vehicle is powered by an internal battery, which will only last a few hours. A lack of electricity may limit the duration of the tool's activity, but they promise to achieve as much as possible with the available electricity. JAXA representatives clarified that the end of the energy in the battery does not mark the end of the mission.
The mission included, among other things, the analysis of the mineral olivine on the surface of the moon, which may reveal key information about the origin of the moon. Due to the energy issue, the mission will focus on sending data back to Earth to determine if the mission has been completed accurately.
The success of the moon landing provides much-needed support to Japan's space program, which has experienced several setbacks in recent years, including a failure to launch the H3 lead rocket in March 2023. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida praised JAXA's efforts and expressed support for the agency's future endeavors.
The mission, which focused on achieving a precise landing, inspired hope and appreciation among the younger generation in Japan, and encourages them to take on great challenges.
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