Japan also wants to send a probe to the moon. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries announced Monday that a Japanese H2A carrier rocket is scheduled to lift off Thursday from Japan’s Tanegashima spaceport on the island of the same name in the country’s southwest.
In January, an H2A rocket put a satellite into orbit. Now the lunar lander is supposed to be transported into space.Image: Cornerstone
The missile launch had previously been postponed several times due to bad weather conditions. The rocket carries the SLIM lunar lander developed by the Japanese space agency JAXA, which aims to test precision landing techniques on the lunar surface. If successful, Japan will be the fifth country to achieve a soft landing on an Earth satellite, after the former Soviet Union, the United States, China and India.
Just a few days ago, India succeeded in doing this after a Russian space probe fell on the surface of the moon. Japan plans to have the SLIM enter lunar orbit about three to four months after launch and attempt to reach the lunar surface within four to six months. Data collected by Japan on the Moon will be used as part of the US-led Artemis Project, which aims to return humans to the Moon by 2025 and promote lunar exploration. The broader goal is human exploration of Mars.
Japan, which is seeking to establish itself firmly in the lucrative satellite launch business, has suffered several setbacks this year, including the failed launch of its next-generation H3 rocket. (DAP/EPA)
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