Japanese lunar module SLIM successfully entered lunar orbit – Kommersant
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The Japanese spacecraft SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) has successfully entered the orbit of the Moon and is preparing to land on the Earth’s natural satellite, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) reported. Landing is planned for mid-January 2024.
According to press release JAXA, the lander was launched into orbit at 16:51 Japanese time (10:51 Moscow time) on December 25. In early December, JAXA reported that SLIM was scheduled to land on the lunar surface on the night of January 20, 2024.
The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) was developed by JAXA in collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). Launching the SLIM module took place on September 7 using MHI’s H-IIA launch vehicle from the Tanegashima Satellite Launch Center in southwestern Kagoshima Prefecture. As part of the SLIM mission, it is planned to study chemical elements in the lunar soil, including using the X-ray telescope XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission).
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