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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Science
Staff and agencies

Moon Sniper: Japan launches Slim probe on precision landing mission

A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying the Slim ‘Moon Sniper’ lander launches from Tanegashima space centre.
A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying the Slim ‘Moon Sniper’ lander launches from Tanegashima space centre. Photograph: Kyodo/Reuters

Japan’s “Moon Sniper” mission has blasted off on its mission to make Japan the fifth country to touch down safely on the lunar surface, and the first to do it with unusual precision.

The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (Slim) got its Sniper nickname because it is designed to land within 100 metres of a specific target on the surface – much less than the usual range of several kilometres.

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