SLIM, Small Japanese lunar lander Options

[Phil Stooke]

SLIM is a small Japanese lunar lander planned to launch this year.

Here:

https://sorabatake.jp/25799/

is an article about it, with some images, describing two small landers which will deploy from it and operate on the surface.

In Japanese. Open in something which will offer a translation if required.

Phil

[Ron Hobbs]

The launch of SLIM is now planned for August 25 Pacific Time. I saw today at NSSDC that the landing site is now near Shioli Crater.

"The landed weight will be about 210 kg, landing objective is to be within 100 meters of the target point, the ejecta blanket of Shioli crater (crater centered at approximately 13.322 S, 25.232 E)."

https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/....action?id=SLIM

Go SLIM!

[Phil Stooke]

Two published suggestions for the landing site.

sources:

Kushiki, K., Sakai, S., Sawai, S. et al., 2017. System design of the small lunar lander SLIM. Presented at the 17th Space Science Symposium, January 2017. Presentation P-073.

Sakai, S., 2019. To the target location on the moon. Introduction of the small lunar lander “SLIM” project. JAXA/ISAS.

Phil

[Quetzalcoatl]

Delayed launch, which was scheduled today, for the "Spectroscopy and X-ray Imaging Satellite (XRISM)" and the "Small Lunar Lander Demonstration Vehicle (SLIM)" by H-IIA Launcher No. 47.


The reason for this deferral is not specified.


For the next attempt, and possibly others, the launch time will be set the day before... (Reminder: Launch window from August 27, 2023 to September 15, 2023

[Phil Stooke]

I heard the reason was bad weather.

Phil

[Quetzalcoatl]

Launch again postponed, wind speed too high.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Bonjour,

We’re still a little foggy

https://www.mhi.com/news/230901.html

[Quetzalcoatl]

SLIM must make the trip duo with XRISM

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Spa...n_set_to_launch

Let us hope that the weather will be favourable this time.

At three days the forecasts are very reliable. We are hopeful.

[Explorer1]

Successful launch and separation!

[Phil Stooke]

Now we will see if a Japanese name is given to the lander in place of its English language acronym. The Japanese custom has been to give a name after launch.

Phil

[Thorsten Denk]

Is there any public timeline?
LOI? Landing?
I understand that it will be in the first months of 2024.
Thorsten

[Quetzalcoatl]

Is there any public timeline?
LOI? Landing?
I understand that it will be in the first months of 2024.
Thorsten

Bonjour,

I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I confirm the moon landing should be done in early 2024. In the meantime, here are some short news from the probe :

https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2023/09/20230914-1_e.html

[Phil Stooke]

We could narrow the landing to certain ranges of dates by looking at the date of sunrise at the landing site. SLIM uses image matching to track its location, so it needs to land in daylight and probably at least 2 days after sunrise to avoid the more extensive shadows.

Sunrise dates are 16 January and 15 February. Landings around 19 January or 18 February would seem likely.

Phil

Postscript on 5 October: 19 January is the intended date.

[Phil Stooke]

https://twitter.com/SLIM_JAXA/status/1709943311770018108

Image of the Moon taken just before the flyby.




The translated text says the view is not possible from Earth, which is correct, but many media reports misinterpret that to mean the image shows the far side of the Moon. That's not true.

Phil

[Thorsten Denk]

In fact, the part of the Moon's far side that would be visible in the picture is on the right in the dark lunar night.
So only the near side can be seen, albeit from an unusual perspective.

Center (cut in half): Mare Tranquilitatis
Above: Mare Serenitatis
Top left: Mare Imbrium

Thorsten