Japanese smart spacecraft lands on moon after historic journey

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Friday said its Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM) has landed on the lunar surface, but the spacecraft was not generating solar power.

SLIM, also known as the “moon sniper,” was attempting an unprecedented “pinpoint” landing — within 100 metres (about 330 feet) of its target compared with a conventional accuracy of several kilometers.

Officials said they still needed to analyze the pinpoint accuracy of the landing

“Communication has been established since landing,” JAXA said, but added that “the solar cells are not generating power.”

Rovers were launched and data were being transmitted back to Earth according to the agency.

“SLIM is now operating only on its battery, and we are prioritizing the transfer of its data onto earth”, Hitoshi Kuninaka, the head of JAXA’s space lab said.

The SLIM, equipped with a pad that cushions impact, landed near the Shioli crater, close to an area covered in volcanic rock. The probe was launched in early September.

The 20-minute descent began at 1500 GMT/UTC on Friday. The powered descent from its 15-kilometer (about 9.3-mile) included a short phase of ascent before dropping close to the moon. It was followed by a fully vertical descent from 7 kilometers. During the descent, the craft scanned the potential landing site for rocks and boulders that might have jeopardized a smooth touchdown.

Japan became only the fifth country to achieve a soft landing, after the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India.