Japan's space agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has achieved a significant milestone in lunar exploration with the successful landing of its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) probe on the moon's surface. The mission demonstrated the agency's advanced pinpoint landing system, although the probe appears to be upside-down.
SLIM touched down on the moon early on Saturday, making Japan the fifth country in history to reach the lunar surface. Previous lunar missions have utilized landing zones of approximately 10 kilometers wide, but SLIM aimed for a target zone of only 100 meters. This improved accuracy allows scientists to access more areas of the moon as the probes can be placed closer to obstacles.
