Chandrayaan-2 guided Japan's SLIM mission in landing on the Moon

 Chandrayaan-2 guided Japan's SLIM mission in landing on the Moon

Japan used India's Chandrayaan-2 to gather imagery that helped in choosing a landing spot for the spacecraft.

In Short

• Chandrayaan-2 mission was a partial success as it failed to land on the Moon
• Its orbiter remains operational even today
• The orbiter continues to study the moon, providing critical data

The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Chandrayaan-2 mission has become a cornerstone for international space missions, including Japan's Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM).

The technological advancements and experiences from Chandrayaan-2 have provided valuable insights for SLIM, which successfully landed on the moon on Saturday.

Japan used India's Chandrayaan-2 to gather imagery that helped in choosing a landing spot for the spacecraft.

Chandrayaan-2 mission was a partial success as it failed to land on the Moon, but its orbiter remains operational even today hovering abpve the lunar surface.

The mission's orbiter continues to study the moon, providing critical data on its topography, mineralogy, and the search for water ice. Weighing 3850 kg, Chandrayaan-2 was a leap forward from its predecessor, Chandrayaan-1, which orbited the moon at a height of 100 km for mapping purposes.

The collaboration between ISRO and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is set to deepen with the upcoming LUPEX mission, a joint India-Japan enterprise. However, before LUPEX comes to fruition, Jasa's SLIM mission has already benefited from ISRO's experiences.

SLIM, which entered lunar orbit on December 25, after a months-long journey, was aiming for a precision landing within 100 meters of its target site, showcasing an advancement in landing accuracy.

While the mission landed on the Moon, it did not perform as expected as latest imagery shows it tipped over blocking its solar panel from getting charged. The picture reveals an unexpected scenario: SLIM's front is seen resting on the lunar terrain, its solar panels unfortunately obstructed, cutting off the potential for solar power generation. This unforeseen event left the lander relying on its limited battery reserves, which has already depleted.

The Japanese space agency has said that it will take a few months for them to assess if it landed with precision on a landing spot that spanned just 100 meters across.