Japan's Robotic SLIM Moon Lander Successfully Enters the Lunar Orbit

Japan's SLIM spacecraft has successfully entered the moon's orbit, marking a significant milestone in the country's pursuit of its first lunar landing scheduled next month.

"The lunar orbit of SLIM will be inserted into an elliptical lunar orbit connecting the Moon's north and south poles with a period of approximately 6.4 hours, and altitude of about 600km at the closest point to the Moon (perilune), and 4,000km at the furthest point from the Moon (apolune)," the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said in a statement.

The 'Moon Sniper' Enters the Moon Orbit

The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), referred to as the "Moon Sniper" due to its precision landing capability within 100 meters of a predetermined target on the lunar surface, is on track to become Japan's first successful moon landing if all goes as planned.

JAXA announced on Monday that the robotic SLIM moon lander accomplished the crucial task of entering the moon's orbit at 4:51 p.m. Japan time, a maneuver executed as per the original plan. JAXA assured that there were no irregularities in the probe's conditions following the trajectory shift.

The elliptical lunar orbit, linking the moon's north and south poles, will have SLIM in its confines for approximately 6.4 hours, ranging from an altitude of about 600km at the closest point (perilune) to 4,000km at the furthest point (apolune).

The spacecraft is presently in normal condition, and from now until mid-January 2024, adjustments will be made to transition to a circular orbit at an altitude of approximately 600km. In mid-January, the perilune point will be lowered, initiating preparations for the landing.

On January 19, the perilune point is expected to reach an altitude of 15km, and the descent towards the moon will commence around 12:00 a.m. (JST) on January 20. The scheduled landing on the lunar surface is set for around 12:20 a.m. (JST) on the same day.

All About SLIM of Japan

Crafted as a compact exploration lander, SLIM aims to accomplish precision landings on the moon's surface, diminish the dimensions and weight of equipment utilized in lunar landings, and delve into the moon's origins.

Furthermore, it will assess technology fundamental to exploration in environments with low gravity, a crucial prerequisite for forthcoming scientific inquiries into the solar system. The SLIM mission is in accordance with JAXA's goals of contributing to upcoming lunar and planetary exploration endeavors.

Primary objectives encompass precise lunar landing techniques within a compact explorer, expediting lunar and planetary research through a more lightweight exploration system, and laying the groundwork for future scientific exploration of the solar system by refining navigation precision and reducing the size of exploration systems.