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https://theconversation.com/japan-is-about-to-land-its-first-lunar-probe-as-more-nations-race-to-the-moon-how-will-we-keep-the-peace-221223>
"Early on Saturday, January 20 2024, Japan hopes to become the fifth country to
successfully land a probe on the Moon. To date, the United States, the Soviet
Union, China and India have preceded the East Asian nation.
Launched in September 2023 by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA),
the Japanese Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) is set to touch down
around 02:20am AEDT. Trialling a novel landing technique with pinpoint
accuracy, it is poised to settle on a gently sloped crater rim – a first in
lunar exploration.
JAXA celebrates the mission as a technology demonstrator. The agency’s main aim
is to practice near-real-time visual precision landing. The newly developed
landing technology would allow them to touch down anywhere they want, rather
than only where the terrain is favourable.
Plans for a follow-up expedition, the Lunar Polar Exploration probe (LUPEX),
are well advanced. That mission will be developed jointly with the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO)."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
