By Chris Skeldon 
Finally, Japan was able to launch its lunar probe, which is already on its way to its destination on Earth’s natural satellite.
After three launch delays due to unfavorable weather conditions, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency was able to successfully launch the Lunar Exploration Intelligent Lander (SLIM).
A $100 million lunar probe will reach the Moon in February 2024
After having to postpone the launch three times in a row, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was finally able to successfully send the SLIM probe to the moon.
This probe, which represents an investment of $100 million (about 93 million euros), is expected to reach the lunar surface in February 2024, after making a long journey, supported by low fuel consumption.
At a press conference, Hiroshi Yamakawa, head of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, said, “The big goal of SLIM is to demonstrate high-precision landing to be able to land wherever we want on the moon instead of landing wherever we can.”
Recent contact with the Japanese probe indicates that it is continuing its journey, as planned, and without any incidents reported.
If successful, Japan will be the fifth space power to reach the moon. SLIM is expected to land near Mare Nectaris, a lunar sea that appears as a black dot when viewed from Earth and whose main mission is to test advanced optical technologies. And image processing technology.
The XRISM satellite followed on the same ship with SLIM
The Japanese probe will also analyze the composition of the rocks found at this site to search for more clues about the origin of the moon.
But the SLIM probe was not alone in this launch. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency also used the spacecraft to send the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) satellite into space, a project it developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency and NASA.
The role of this satellite will be to monitor plasma winds in the universe so that researchers can discover more about the evolution of stars and galaxies.
Meanwhile, the XRISM satellite has already sent signals to Earth, confirming the successful deployment of the equipment’s solar panels.
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