Japan achieved a significant milestone by becoming the fifth country in history to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon, following the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India, Associated Press reports.
The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) made a soft landing on the lunar surface as part of Japan’s space program. The craft’s small rovers were believed to have been deployed as planned, with data transmitted back to Earth.
The mission aimed for a pinpoint landing, targeting an area just 100 meters wide, and while additional analysis is needed to confirm its success, the achievement is considered a significant step in Japan’s space exploration efforts.
However, officials reported that the craft’s solar panel failed to generate power, potentially limiting its activity on the moon. Despite the solar panel issue, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson praised the achievement.
