TOKYO: The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has launched a rocket carrying what it hopes will be the country’s first successful Moon lander, live footage from JAXA showed.
According to local media, the H2-A rocket blasted off at 8:42 a.m. carrying the precision “Moon Sniper” lander, which is likely to touch down on the Moon in four to six months. This was the first launch of Japan since the debut launch of the H3 rocket had failed in March.
Japan Launches ‘Moon Sniper’ Mission: JAXA
This important event streamed live on JAXA’s social media channel, offering a broadcast in both Japanese and English. The XRISM satellite, also called the Spectroscopy Mission and X-Ray Imaging, is a combined mission between NASA and JAXA, along with participation from the Canadian Space Agency and European Space Agency. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has taken steps to try to ensure the success of the launch. According to Japanese media outlet NHK, the launch was canceled last week because of bad weather.
