Overview

• Japan's 'Moon Sniper' lander, officially known as the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), made a successful landing on the moon, making Japan the fifth nation to achieve this feat.
• Due to an anomaly during descent, the lander's solar panels faced the wrong direction, limiting its power supply and forcing it to operate on battery power.
• The lander touched down near the Shioli crater, a region of interest due to the presence of the mineral olivine, which is believed to originate from the moon's mantle.
• NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of the lander on the lunar surface.
• Despite the power issue, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is hopeful that the changing angle of the sun will restore power to the vehicle, allowing the mission to resume.