Scheduled for January 19, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) is poised to make history as Japan attempts to achieve its first lunar spacecraft landing, marking the country’s pioneering lunar exploration endeavour in 2024. Launched on September 6, 2023, aboard a Japanese H-2A rocket, the SLIM mission aims to showcase precision landing capabilities with the potential to revolutionize future lunar exploration.
The SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon) project is dedicated to developing a lightweight probe system on a small scale and advancing pinpoint landing technology crucial for future lunar probes. The primary goal is to reduce the weight of observational equipment while enhancing functionality, facilitating landings on resource-scarce planets for prospective solar system research probes.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has officially confirmed that the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) is poised to enter the landing descent preparation phase, following successful operational assessments since its insertion into lunar orbit and future planning considerations. This decision was made on January 10, 2024. Subsequently, the apolune descent manoeuvre, marking the furthest point from the Moon, was executed and successfully concluded on January 14, 2024, at 17:32 JST, securing the SLIM spacecraft in a circular orbit at the intended altitude of approximately 600km.
As of the current update, the spacecraft’s conditions are reported to be normal. Moving forward, the perilune descent manoeuvre, focusing on the closest lunar point, is slated to take place, with the perilune point expected to be lowered to an altitude of 15km on January 19, 2024. The commencement of the landing descent is scheduled for January 20, 2024, starting around 0:00 JST, and the lunar landing itself is anticipated at 0:20 JST.
To provide audiences with a firsthand view of this historic event, JAXA plans to host a live broadcast during the SLIM landing descent on its official YouTube channel, “JAXA Channel,” starting from 23:00 JST on January 19, 2024, just before the scheduled Moon landing.
Lets wish JAXA all the best for 1st moon landing of 2024.