FILE PHOTO: People watch the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM)'s landing on the moon in a public viewing event in Sagamihara, south of Tokyo, Japan January 20, 2024.  REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
Japan

Japan's SLIM spacecraft's "pinpoint" moon landing a historic first

Japan achieved an unprecedented "pinpoint" moon landing within 100 metres (328 feet) of target, the space agency said on Thursday, made Japan the fifth country to put a spacecraft on the moon.

By Kantaro Komiya

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan achieved an unprecedented "pinpoint" moon landing within 100 metres (328 feet) of target, the space agency said on Thursday, after its probe SLIM's touchdown on Saturday made Japan the fifth country to put a spacecraft on the moon.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) also said it received all data about the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM)'s landing in the 2 hours and 37 minutes after the touchdown and before the probe lost power.

SLIM's solar panels have been unable to generate electricity likely because they were angled wrong, but a change in the sunlight's direction could power it up again, JAXA said.

(Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim)

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