Tag: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

Japan Explains How It Made an Upside-Down Moon Landing

Japan became the fifth nation to land on the moon on Saturday, but its spacecraft ended up in an awkward position, with its engine nozzle pointed up toward space. By design, the Japanese spacecraft, known as Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, was supposed to land on its side, a strategy to avoid tipping […]

Read More

Japan Achieves a Soft Lunar Landing, but Its Life on the Moon May Be Short

A Japanese robotic spacecraft successfully set down on the moon on Friday — but its solar panels were not generating power, which will cut the length of time it will be able to operate to a few hours. With this achievement, Japan is now the fifth country to send a spacecraft that made a soft […]

Read More