Japan becomes fifth country to successfully land on the Moon... "Solar power generation not possible"

Japan succeeded in landing on the moon on the 20th, becoming the fifth country in the world to achieve a moon landing after the United States, the former Soviet Union, China, and India. However, after the probe reached the lunar surface, the solar panels failed to generate power, so it is expected to operate on battery power, reducing the observation time on the lunar surface from the originally anticipated several days to within a few hours.

According to NHK and other broadcasters, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced at a press conference on the day, "The lunar probe 'SLIM' began its descent from about 15 km above the moon at around midnight on the 20th and landed on the surface near the lunar equator about 20 minutes later," adding, "The probe successfully achieved a soft landing."

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)'s lunar probe 'SLIM' [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

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At the event, JAXA stated, "Although SLIM has reached the lunar surface and is communicating with Earth, the solar panels are not generating power." SLIM was originally scheduled to generate power via solar panels after landing and carry out a mission to measure the types of minerals contained in lunar surface rocks using a special camera. Due to the failure of solar power generation, SLIM is currently operating using the onboard battery after landing.

This battery is expected to operate for only a few hours. JAXA explained that SLIM appears to have landed on the lunar surface in an unexpected orientation, and to conserve battery power, they are carrying out various measures such as cutting off power supply to the heater.

A JAXA official said, "Our priority is to obtain data from the lunar surface with the remaining battery," adding, "There is a possibility that the exploration time and range will be reduced due to battery usage."

Two small robots equipped with cameras onboard SLIM separated normally from the main body just before landing. JAXA jointly developed these robots with the toy company Takara Tomy. The robots will explore the lunar surface, collect data, and send it to JAXA. Since SLIM cannot move on the lunar surface, it plans to investigate surrounding rocks using the cameras mounted on the main body.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

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Previously, SLIM was launched on September 7 last year from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan, aboard the H2A rocket No. 47. It entered lunar orbit on the 25th of last month and began preparations for landing on the 15th of this month. After lowering its altitude to about 15 km above the moon the day before, it started its descent toward the lunar surface around midnight on the 20th and landed about 20 minutes later.

SLIM attempted a 'pinpoint' landing, reducing the target error to within 100 meters. A JAXA official said the likelihood of success for the pinpoint landing is high, but it will take about a month to confirm the success through data analysis. Since water exists partially in the form of ice on the moon, the technology to land precisely at desired locations is important for water resource exploration.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun evaluated that SLIM was Japan's third attempt at a moon landing and that Japan demonstrated its technological capabilities with this success amid intensifying competition for lunar surface development centered on the United States and China.

In November 2022, JAXA sent a microsatellite probe called 'Omotenashi' aboard the US Artemis I mission's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, but it failed to land on the moon due to communication loss. Subsequently, the lunar lander developed by the Japanese venture space company ispace also attempted a landing in April last year but crashed on the lunar surface.

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