Japan became the fifth nation to achieve a soft landing on the Moon landing after its Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM) touched down on the lunar surface.
- Four countries to achieve a soft landing on the Moon are India, the United States, Russia, and China.
About Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM):
- The SLIM is a mission launched by Japan’s space agency Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
- It was designed to land within a 100-meter radius of its target.
- It utilized a vision-based navigation system, comparing lunar images in real-time with existing maps for precision landing.
- It deployed two innovative rovers.
Challenge:
- The mission faced a significant challenge due to solar panels failing to generate electricity, potentially caused by incorrect angling.
- This power issue limited the lander’s operational capacity to a few hours, relying solely on its battery.
Ref: Source
| UPSC IAS Preparation Resources | |
| Current Affairs Analysis | Topperspedia |
| GS Shots | Simply Explained |
| Daily Flash Cards | Daily Quiz |