Balanced News: Japan launches its “Moon Sniper” as it hopes for a lunar landing

Japan has launched its “Moon Sniper” mission in hopes of a lunar landing, following recent mishaps. The mission aims to land a probe on the Moon’s surface in early 2024. The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), nicknamed the “Moon Sniper,” is designed to land within 100 meters of a specific target, a significant improvement from previous missions. The launch was postponed three times due to bad weather. The XRISM space research satellite, developed in collaboration with the US and European space agencies, also separated successfully. Japan’s space program has faced previous failures and setbacks.