Japan Prepares for Lunar Landing

byAdmin •January 20, 2024

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Japan Aims for Precision: Unmanned Lunar Landing with SLIM Could Pave the Way for Future Moon Missions

Japan is gearing up for an unmanned lunar landing that could redefine precision in space exploration. Scheduled for this afternoon, the SLIM probe is set to touch down, aiming for a level of precision unmatched by any previous lunar lander. The instruments on board have the potential to benefit upcoming moon missions significantly.

Currently in the fifth position in the lunar race, Japan missed the chance to secure the fourth spot when the privately developed Japanese lunar lander, "Hakuto-R," experienced a mishap in April 2023, resulting in a crash on the lunar surface. India seized the fourth position a few months later. Now, Japan is making another lunar approach, this time through a state-led initiative. The lunar lander module, SLIM, was constructed by Japan's space agency, JAXA, and has been en route to the Moon for over four months since September 7.

What sets this mission apart is its focus on precision landing. Unlike previous moon landings, where reaching the lunar surface was the primary goal, SLIM aims to approach a selected landing point with an accuracy of 100 meters. With precise moon mapping available, research teams are eager to study smaller rock formations up close, emphasizing the need for a research module with cameras and instruments that can land precisely, regardless of the surface's characteristics.

The planned landing, expected around 4:20 PM our time, holds significance due to SLIM's unique landing technique. To navigate challenging terrain, SLIM intentionally tilts during landing, relying on side-mounted landing legs with hemispherical aluminum structures at their ends to absorb the impact.

SLIM's ability to approach the landing site with such precision is attributed to its continuous capture of lunar surface images, cross-referencing them with maps stored in its onboard computer. Achieving rapid image analysis for precise lunar landings is usually challenging due to the limited processing power of space-hardened computer chips, which offer only a fraction of the processing capabilities found in consumer-grade computer chips.

However, Japanese engineers managed to develop highly efficient software to work with slow chips, enabling the swift image analysis necessary for precise moon landings.

The success of this precision landing holds promise for broader lunar exploration initiatives. NASA, for instance, aims to prepare for the return of humans to the Moon using unmanned cargo landers. While the Apollo mission landing sites over 50 years ago were relatively flat and less obstructed, Artemis III, scheduled for September 2026, plans to land at the lunar South Pole—a region dotted with craters of various sizes. Achieving pinpoint accuracy in cargo and crew drops in such challenging terrain is crucial for continuous solar power supply in areas where the sun shines around the clock.

In addition to precision landing, SLIM's developers focused on keeping the probe lightweight. For instance, its solar cells are flexible foils rather than rigid panels, allowing them to adapt to curved surfaces. Every gram saved in the probe's weight translates to fuel savings and increased payload capacity.

While SLIM's inaugural flight carries only a few instruments to the Moon, they promise entertainment value. Before landing, SLIM will deploy two devices onto the lunar surface: a robot probe, twice the size of a shoebox, capable of hopping around the lunar surface for 40 minutes post-landing. Additionally, SLIM carries a rover that initially takes the form of an eight-centimeter-diameter ball—slightly larger than a tennis ball—that falls into the lunar dust. Resembling a child's toy, the rover transforms using a folding mechanism to roll a few meters through the lunar soil on two hemispherical wheels.

After two hours, its battery will be depleted. The inclusion of such playful elements hints at the involvement of Japanese toy designers in the project.

For geological analyses, SLIM is equipped with a spectral camera. The landing site, the 300-meter-wide Shioli Crater, was previously observed by a Japanese satellite in lunar orbit, revealing the presence of olivine. This mineral, believed to originate only from the moon's interior, could help solve the mystery of the moon's formation.

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