JAPAN: Japan’s SLIM lunar lander, on a mission to investigate the moon’s surface, has treated the world to a captivating snapshot of Earth, taken from a distance of approximately 62,000 miles (100,000 kilometres).
The monochromatic image, which the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) released on September 21, shows our planet partially shrouded in shadow against the background of the cosmos.
The photograph served as a crucial test for SLIM’s camera system, an integral component in ensuring a precise lunar landing. This dual-camera, vision-based navigation system is specially designed to discern crater positions using onboard data.
JAXA’s SLIM account also shared another image, placing Japan at the centre of the celestial sphere, just beyond the edge of night’s shadow, with the faint outline of the moon in the distance, marking SLIM’s ultimate destination.
As SLIM, affectionately dubbed the “moon sniper,” advances on its celestial journey, it executed a critical manoeuvre on Sept. 26, firing its main engine and attitude control thrusters for 70 seconds during its orbit’s closest approach to Earth. This propelled SLIM into its newly charted orbit with an extended apogee.
While JAXA has yet to unveil the exact lunar landing date, they have projected a timeline of three to four months from launch to lunar touchdown.
This elongated trajectory is a strategic manoeuvre to conserve propellant and reduce overall mass for the lightweight spacecraft.
Upon reaching its lunar destination, SLIM will demonstrate its ability to descend within an impressive 328 feet (100 meters) of its designated target area.
The milestone aims to validate landing techniques that will facilitate access to more challenging terrains for future planetary exploration endeavours.
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