Japan became the fifth country to send a spacecraft to the moon, as announced by the Japanese space agency JAXA.

The spacecraft, named SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon), successfully landed on the lunar surface on Friday, around 17:20 Cyprus Time, and established communication with the operations center. However, its solar panels are not generating power, likely due to an incorrect angle.

This mission aimed to test precision landing technology for spacecraft and reinvigorate Japan's space program, which has faced challenges in recent years. "SLIM is operating on its own battery, and we are prioritizing the transmission of its data to Earth," said Hitoshi Kuninaka, the head of JAXA, during a press conference.

Dubbed the "moon's sharpshooter," SLIM attempted a landing within a 100-meter radius of its target, a significant improvement over the several kilometers typical for other, more conventional lunar missions. JAXA believes this technology will be a powerful tool for future exploration of the moon's rugged poles, where oxygen and water might exist. However, it will take about a month to verify if SLIM has achieved its objectives.

JAXA aims to play a more significant role in space, working in collaboration with the United States and against the backdrop of China's space advancements. Among other goals, JAXA intends to send an astronaut to the moon as part of NASA's Artemis program in the coming years.

To date, only four countries - the former Soviet Union, the USA, China, and India - have successfully landed spacecraft on the moon.