1. Introduction and About: Japan's New Achievement in Space

- Japan recently marked its space exploration achievement by successfully landing a spacecraft, Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), on the lunar surface.

- With this achievement, Japan becomes the fifth country succeeding the Soviet Union, the US, China, and India in achieving a soft lunar landing.

- SLIM's landing occurred near the Shioli crater, located south of the lunar equator, marking a milestone with its unprecedented precision.

2. SubAn Insight into SLIM's Expedition and Technical Hurdles

- SLIM underwent a four-month journey from Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan to the Moon.

- The expedition, however, faced a setback due to a power failure as the solar cells stopped generating electricity, forcing SLIM to rely on a limited-time operational battery.

- Despite the setback, the spacecraft stands successful with accurate communication to the ground station.

3. SubProgress of Asian Countries in Lunar Exploration

- The successful landing by SLIM is a significant victory for Asian countries, with only China, India, and now Japan, having achieved this feat in the last decade.

- India, for instance, recorded its successful lunar landing just last year in August.

4. SubInnovation Underpinning SLIM's Landing

- SLIM aimed for a distinctive landing accuracy of 100 metres, improving the precision from previous missions.

- It utilised vision-based navigation technology for imaging the lunar surface, identifying its location, and aligning with onboard maps.

- SLIM introduced a two-step landing approach, which contrasts with previous landers, encountering a 15-degree slope before stabilising on four legs, a factor that potentially affected its solar cells.

5. SubSLIM's Scientific Objectives and Recovery Expectations

- SLIM was designed to eject two small robots to capture images of the landing site.

- Its camera is engineered to search for olivine, a mineral found in the Moon’s mantle.

- Should the power be restored, SLIM could provide substantial data about the Moon’s history and chemical constitution.

6. SubThe New Space Race: Global and Asian Endeavours

- SLIM’s successful landing has strengthened Japan's role in the Artemis Program led by the US, planning to return humans to the Moon by 2026.

- This achievement could heighten competition in lunar exploration, especially among Asian nations.

- The Moon has become a growing area of interest with the ongoing global lunar mission by US company Intuitive Machines and China's Chang’e-6 mission planning to collect moon samples.

- These missions highlight the escalating global curiosity in lunar exploration and the quest for understanding the Moon's mysteries.