header banner
WORLD

Japan becomes the fifth country to land a spacecraft on the moon

TOKYO (AP) — Japan became the fifth country in history to reach the moon when one of its spacecrafts without astrona...
By Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan became the fifth country in history to reach the moon when one of its spacecrafts without astronauts successfully made a soft landing on the lunar surface early Saturday.


However, space officials said they need more time to analyze whether the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, achieved its mission priority of making a pinpoint landing. They also said the craft’s solar panel had failed to generate power, which could shorten its activity on the moon.


Space officials believe the SLIM’s small rovers were launched as planned and that data was being transmitted back to Earth, said Hitoshi Kuninaka, head of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, a unit of Japan’s space agency.


Related Stories
WORLD

China prepares mission to land spacecraft on moon’...

SOCIETY

India becomes first nation to land spacecraft near...

WORLD

United Arab Emirates to launch spacecraft to moon...

TECHNOLOGY

The moon releases surprising amounts of water duri...

Lifestyle

India readies takeoff for mission to land spacecra...