TheSkySearchers

We have had a few lunar landing attempts this year, let's hope this one is a success!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... rX5FhSKET2

Thanks very much for posting this, Clinton!

smp

Soft landing planned for this weekend, exciting times!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... -ajEdnzQu_

Keeping fingers crossed; you go Japan!

Thanks too Clinton for the info

Looking good for SORA-Q tomorrow
More info;
Japan moon landing features a transforming robot https://www.npr.org/2024/01/18/12253283 ... rmers-jaxa

From Ars Technica:
"Japan’s “Moon sniper” mission aims for precise lunar landing"

https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/01/j ... r-landing/

Still waiting for any news...

smp

Telemetry says they have landed!

smp

They have been spending a lot of time "checking the status."
The live stream has ended predicting a press conference later.

smp

smp wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 3:22 pm Telemetry says they have landed!

smp

I see the same over on Twitter, still waiting for some official video etc.
Super cool!

There will be a press conference on their Youtube channel soon.

https://t.co/QI2KU8peO2

Although telemetry is incoming, it appears the lander may be in an unfavourable orientation.
Still awaiting official confirmation as scientists continue to pore over the telemetry.

*edit* News just in, JAXA says it could take up to two hours to confirm status of SLIM lander.

By the information provided their Press Conference, the Moon Lander successfully soft landed on the moon. The team is now assessing the precision of the landing, and whether or not they achieved their goal of landing within 100 meters of their desired target. Everything is said to be working aboard the Lander - except the Solar Power package. The team continues to assess whether the Lander issue can be corrected, or if the Lander will go silent when the battery power runs out.

Congratulations to Japan for achieving this success, and sincere wishes for the best going forward!

smp

From CNN:
"Japan’s lunar lander reaches the moon but is rapidly losing power, space agency says"

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/19/world/ja ... index.html

smp

Houston, we have a problem!

Thanks for the update, Clinton!
Yeah, the lander had two short legs and one long leg (supposedly for landing on a slope?) and I thought it toppled over after touching down, but the articles are saying some sort of engine failure/anomaly.

smp

From Ars Technica:
"A Japanese spacecraft faceplanted on the Moon and lived to tell the tale"

https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/01/a ... -the-tale/

smp

Good news today from The Guardian:
"Japan’s Slim moon lander overcomes power crisis to start scientific operations"

https://www.theguardian.com/science/202 ... os-surface

smp

And this from CNN:
"Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ robot explorer resumes operations on lunar surface"

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/29/asia/jap ... index.html

smp

Thanks for the update Steven.
At least some science and a few nice images will be returned before the night sets in and the craft is left without protection.

Not sure about the "Poodle rock" name, sounds like something the conspiracy crowd might take too literally.
Just recently they saw a human femur looking rock on Mars and that sent them into a dizzy spin!

smp wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2024 8:01 pm "A Japanese spacecraft faceplanted on the Moon and lived to tell the tale"

.
That was my thought when I saw the pic.