Japan has become the fifth country to reach the Moon, in an unprecedented scientific event. But the event was not without obstacles: although at first the Japan Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the success of the SLIM mission, then the live broadcast was interrupted. Hours later, the team in charge explained that because the ship was poorly oriented on the lunar surface, it might have run out of energy to operate. So far, communication with Earth is working and “there is hope” that the entire system will be re-established, as reported in a press conference. In any case, Japan joins, together with the United States, Russia, China and India, to the list of countries that have conquered the Moon at least once.
SLIM, launched in September and entered lunar orbit around Christmas, began its descent around Japanese midnight at a speed of 1,700 meters per second and managed to land on the surface in 20 minutes. He did this thanks to his “intelligent eyes” system: cameras with image recognition programs, which allowed him to report obstacles and avoid them. Indeed, this is its main virtue and hallmark: the module colloquially known as the “Lunar Sniper” not only had to land on the Moon, but also had to do so exactly at the intended location. In theory, the precise landing system marked a difference from successful missions of the past that left a wider margin when landing on the satellite’s surface.
A sophisticated lunar landing mechanism that is explained in a very concrete way: while previous missions proposed large landing areas of at least 10 kilometers, this one only left a margin of 100 meters. It was thus possible to reach the area of the Shioli crater, close to the Nectar Sea, characterized by the presence of volcanic rock. From here he will analyze the minerals present at the site with the aim that his study can provide further clues to the origin of the satellite. But this is missing: first we will have to see if, all things considered, it will be able to operate as expected.
Robots and toys
On board, SLIM carries two robots the size of a microwave and a tennis ball, equipped with cameras, thermometers and intercoms to notify in real time the information they are extracting. From Earth, the team of engineers and specialists will have the task of evaluating how their work is going from now on.
One of the main curiosities is that in the production of the technologies, in addition to JAXA, Sony and Doshisha University, the toy manufacturer Takara Tomy also participated. The company reportedly played a key role in designing one of the lunar exploration robots, inspired – in part – by Star Wars-style androids.
The goal is to launch intelligent technologies into space that allow a more precise approach to the Moon. Satellite exploration will be key to confirming the existence of water and other natural resources that could be used in the coming decades and improving aerospace transportation. In a few years the Moon, to which poets and lovers have dedicated their time, could become a space service station.
Fifth in contention
First there were ships, then planes and now spaceships: this is how the superpowers perfected, with the passing of centuries and progress, the means of transport to invade previously unthinkable latitudes. Currently, Japan reminds the United States and Russia that this is not the bipolar world that only had two actors capable of building technologies to reach the natural satellite, but that the planet is witnessing a multipolar present. China and India have been added to these two countries: the last mission of the Asian giant was the Chang’e 4 probe, positioned on the dark side of the Moon in January 2019; while India did the same in August 2023 with the “Chandrayaan-3” mission.
This week, the United States suffered a major setback when the Peregrino 1 spacecraft – a private mission supported by NASA – failed in its attempt to reach the Moon. They wanted to do it after half a century, and the technology created by the Astrobotic company ended up in the Pacific Ocean. Although on that occasion the North American space agency stated that “every mission is an opportunity to learn”, it cannot be hidden that preparations for the Artemis project are not going as expected.
In 2025, Japan and India are already working on a joint mission to send new robots to the Moon. The competition in space is fierce, and more and more players ask for clues and dare to do the impossible.
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2024-01-20 03:01:00
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