Japan's SLIM lander "Lunar Sniper" arrives in lunar orbit this Christmas

Japan’s SLIM lander Lunar Sniper will reach lunar orbit this Christmas

On Christmas Day 2023, Japan’s Small Lunar Imaging Camera (SLIM) lander successfully entered lunar orbit. The lander was launched on December 14 from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan on an H-IIA rocket.

SLIM is a small 10-kilogram lander designed to capture high-resolution images of the lunar surface. The lander is equipped with a camera with a resolution of 100 microns per pixel. This is comparable to the resolution of the human eye.

SLIM is expected to spend several months in lunar orbit taking images of the lunar surface. The lander will focus on areas that have not yet been fully explored, such as the lunar poles. Images from the lander will be used to help scientists learn more about the moon's history and geology.

SLIM's arrival in lunar orbit is an important milestone in Japan's space exploration. This is Japan's first successful landing on the moon since the Hiten spacecraft in 1990.

SLIM is a small but ambitious mission. The lander's high-resolution images will provide scientists with a new perspective on the moon. The success of the lander demonstrates Japan's growing capabilities in space exploration.