SLIM: pinpoint landing on the Moon (Japan)
SLIM: aterrizaje de precisión en la Luna (Japón)
- Date
- 19 de enero de 2024 · confidence high
- Place
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
- Credited to
- JAXA
- Field
- Movement
What was discovered
A lunar lander that touched down about 55 m from its intended point using visual navigation by crater recognition. It made Japan the fifth country to land on the Moon, although the craft ended up tilted after losing an engine on descent.
Accuracy of about 55 m against a 100 m goal. The order of soft lunar landings: USSR (1966), US (1966), China (2013), India (2023) and Japan (2024).
What it led to
- precision landings at scientifically interesting rough terrain
- small landers with ejectable LEV-1 and LEV-2 rovers
- crater-based navigation for future lunar missions