Japan has successfully launched a rocket carrying an X-ray telescope that will explore the origins of the universe as well as a small lunar lander officially known as Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) and dubbed the “moon sniper”.
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the lunar craft on HII-A rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center at 8:42 a.m. Japan Standard Time on September 5. The event streamed live on JAXA’s YouTube channel, offering a broadcast in both English and Japanese.
What is the rocket carrying?
The rocket is carrying two space missions. First is a new bus-size telescope with X-Ray vision. This telescope will help scientists better understand the origins of the universe. It also includes lightweight high-precision moon lander that will serve as the basis for future moon landing technology. SLIM embarks on its lunar journey and XRISM prepares to unveil the universeʼ secret.
This mission, which comes with a price tag of $100 million (£59 million), aims to showcase Tokyoʼs prowess in landing lightweight, low-cost spacecraft on the moon.
When is the touchdown expected?
The SLIM spacecraft, destined for a soft landing on the lunar surface, will take a longer but more fuel-efficient path.
The anticipated touchdown is set for January or February of the following year. If successful, Japan will become only the fifth nation in history, following the footsteps of the U.S., Russia, China, and India, to land on the moon.
The Moon Sniperʼs Precision
What sets SLIM apart is its precision. This small-scale exploration lander is designed to accomplish a pinpoint landing within a remarkable 100 meters (328 feet), a significant advancement from the typical kilometer-range landings. This precision in landing technology earned the mission its nickname, the “Moon Sniper”.
Exploring the Universe in X-Rays
Simultaneously, the rocket carried the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) satellite, a joint venture involving JAXA, NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. Equipped with a telescope the size of a bus, XRISM (pronounced “crism”) will embark on a mission to study some of the universe’s most enigmatic phenomena, including black holes and stellar explosions.
X-rays, invisible to the human eye, emanate from some of the most energetic objects in the cosmos. XRISMʼs principal investigator, Richard Kelley, XRISM principal investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, explains that “Some of the things we hope to study with XRISM include the aftermath of stellar explosions and near-light-speed particle jets launched by supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies,” Kelley, said a statement. “But of course, we’re most excited about all the unexpected phenomena XRISM will discover as it observes our cosmos.”
Recent Lunar Missions
Japanʼs launch marks the third moon mission in the past two months worldwide. It follows Russiaʼs unsuccessful Luna-25 mission and Indiaʼs triumphant Chandrayaan-3 mission.
Before these endeavors, Japanese private space firm iSpace attempted a lunar landing with its Hakuto-R lander, which ended in failure as the spacecraft crashed during its landing attempt.
Japan’s recent launch history has been marked by a few challenges, with launch failures for the next-generation H3 in March and the typically reliable solid-fuel Epsilon in October 2022. However, the successful launch of SLIM and XRISM demonstrates Japanʼs ambition to space exploration and its ambition to unlock the mysteries of the cosmos.
