A mere four months after Japan's initial moon landing endeavor concluded in failure back in April, the nation has set its sights on a second attempt, highlighting the formidable challenges of lunar landings, DW reports.
The spacecraft Moon Sniper, also known by its technical designation SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon), has garnered the moniker due to its intended precision, akin to that of a sniper. The key concept behind SLIM is what's referred to as "pinpoint landing."
Pinpoint landing represents a shift from an era of landing based on feasibility to one where landing locations can be precisely targeted on celestial bodies like the moon. Given that the moon's gravity is approximately one-sixth of Earth's, the intricacies of spacecraft landing are distinct.
This shift in approach is underscored by the wealth of data accumulated through advanced satellites, telescopes, and imaging technology, providing a deep understanding of lunar features, including potential water sources. For instance, a pinpoint landing could be vital for accessing water-rich areas like the moon's south pole or for reaching specific geological features.
Compared to conventional landers, which can have landing precision within a range of "several and a dozen" kilometers, pinpoint landers like SLIM strive to narrow down the precision to about 100m.
SLIM, with a dry weight of 200kg and dimensions of 2.4m by 1.7m by 2.7m, is part of an effort to test lightweight vehicles that can facilitate more frequent missions to moons and planets. It boasts a suite of instruments, including radar, a laser range finder, a navigation camera, and a multiband spectral camera for analyzing rock compositions.
The spacecraft's launch is scheduled for Monday at 9:26:22 a.m. Japan time. After launching, it will take about three to four months to reach lunar orbit. Following a month-long stay in lunar orbit, SLIM will embark on its descent to the lunar surface approximately six months after launch, with the goal of achieving the precise pinpoint landing that its name suggests.
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