Japanese Spacecraft Enters Lunar Orbit

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced that the Japanese lunar explorer successfully entered lunar orbit on Monday. The spacecraft is expected to land on the moon's surface on January 20. According to Kyodo News, the "H2A" rocket was launched carrying the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM). The Japan Space Exploration Agency hopes that a successful precise landing will mark a transition from the era of "landing wherever we can" to an era of "landing where we want" for future lunar missions, which may include searching for water, necessitating precise landings on uneven surfaces such as slopes.