On January 20, 2024, Japan is scheduled to make a moon landing. If Tokyo succeeds, it would be a first for the country.
Officially, it is a very classic scientific mission, which aims to analyze the rocks present on the surface of the Moon. Unofficially, it is above all a mission which should allow Japan to enter the still very closed circle of countries capable of safely sending a lander to the Earth’s natural satellite.
An objective towards which Tokyo has just come very close during the day of December 25, 2023. Indeed, it is on this date that the SLIM space probe (for Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) was inserted successfully in lunar orbit. The news was reported by the Japanese space agency (JAXA) in its press release.
The rest of the events will only really happen in a month. SLIM is today in an orbit which sometimes takes it to an altitude of 600 km above the Moon, sometimes to 4,000 km. Gradually, by mid-January, this elliptical orbit will increase to a circular orbit of 600 km. Then, the orbit will decrease further, to aim for a moon landing on January 20.
Four countries have already succeeded
Success would propel Japan into one of the few nations that have been able to deposit material on the Moon. So far, this feat has been achieved by four countries: the United States, Russia during the USSR, China and India. Other states have also tried the adventure, such as Israel (Beresheet) and the United Arab Emirates (Hakuto-R / Rashid), but have experienced failure.
The most recent success was signed by New Delhi in August 2023, with the Chandrayaan-3 mission. India had to do it twice to get there: its first attempt, Chandrayaan-2, ended in a loss of contact with the craft on the surface in 2019. As for Chandrayaan-1, the mission did not include a ground component.
If Japan has not yet sent a lander – and even less a rover – to the Moon, the aerospace exploration agency has already completed several lunar missions. They consisted of deploying orbiters. There was Hiten in 1990 then Kaguya / Selene in 2007. It is now a matter of taking a further step, by settling down – while waiting for even more ambitious projects.
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