Japan's 'Moon Sniper' Probe Successfully Enters Lunar Orbit

The SLIM Space Probe is Set to Attempt an Unprecedentedly Precise Lunar Landing Next Month

Japan's SLIM space probe, nicknamed the 'Moon Sniper', successfully entered the Moon's orbit on December 25, 2023, marking a significant step towards the country's first successful lunar landing, expected next month.
The probe is designed to land within 100 meters of a specific target on the lunar surface, a level of accuracy once thought impossible, suggesting a significant advancement in lunar landing technology.
If successful, Japan will become only the fifth country to have landed a probe on the Moon, following the United States, Russia, China, and India.
The probe's descent towards the moon is expected to start around midnight Japan time on January 20, with its landing on the surface scheduled for 20 minutes later.
The SLIM mission aims to demonstrate a so-called 'pinpoint landing' with an accuracy of less than 100 yards, a level of precision unprecedented for moon landings.