Japan says 'moon sniper' hit its pinpoint target
Japan says its SLIM moon probe successfully landed on the lunar surface within 100 meters of its intended touchdown target
Photo: JAXA
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Thursday said its lunar probe had landed some 5 meters away from its target on the moon's surface.
The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) achieved an unprecedented "pinpoint" landing within 100 meters (about 330 feet) of its target, the agency said.
Immediately after the landing, there were fears that the probe might not have made it.
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"SLIM succeeded in a pin-point soft landing... the landing point is confirmed to be 55 meters away from the target point," the space agency said.
However, the probe's solar panels were not able to generate electricity because they were facing the wrong direction.
