Japan is seeking to become the fifth country to land a spacecraft on the lunar surface, as it tests the precision landing technology of the low-cost "Moon Sniper" tomorrow, Thursday. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which oversees the launch operations and is working on the H-IIA rocket that will carry the craft, stated that the mission is scheduled to launch tomorrow from the Tanegashima Space Center, operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in the south of the country.
The "Moon Sniper" spacecraft is expected to land on the near side of the moon, near "Mare Nectaris," a lunar basin considered one of the visible dark spots on the moon. The mission aims to demonstrate Japan's capability to land a lightweight and low-cost vehicle on the moon, within 100 meters of the specified landing site using an advanced optical navigation system.
Weeks ago, India became the first country to reach the south pole of the moon, highlighting a new space race involving the private sector.
