Japanese Rocket Launches Moon Lander, X-ray Imaging Satellite

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) and the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on H-IIA F47 from Tanegashima Space Center on September 7, 2023.

The launch proceeded as planned, with XRISM separating from the launch vehicle approximately 14 minutes and 9 seconds after liftoff, followed by SLIM at about 47 minutes and 33 seconds after launch, according to a statement from JAXA.

XRISM, a collaborative project involving NASA, JAXA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), is an orbital X-ray telescope designed for space study using X-ray imaging and spectroscopy. Its mission aims to provide astrophysicists with new data on the universe's largest structures, matter distribution in space, and galaxy formation, with a focus on black hole environments and giant galaxy clusters.

SLIM, the Japanese lunar lander developed jointly by MHI and JAXA, has a primary goal of demonstrating high-precision landing technology within 100 meters of the intended lunar surface location. During its descent, SLIM will conduct lunar crater and terrain studies, while also collecting data on chemical elements in the lunar regolith. The module is expected to enter the Moon's orbit in 3-4 months, with a planned surface landing on the Earth's natural satellite within 4-6 months.

In the event of a successful SLIM mission, Japan will join the ranks of the USSR, the USA, China, and India as the fifth country to land its spacecraft on the lunar surface.