Japan's SLIM 'moon sniper' lander arrives in lunar orbit

JAXA's SLIM lander successfully entered lunar orbit, aiming to join an elite club of nations with lunar soft landings.

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The elliptical orbit takes 6.4 hours, with closest point 600 km and furthest 4,000 km from the Moon.

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Landing preparations involve lowering the orbit until SLIM touches down on January 20.

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Launched in September, SLIM took a long, fuel-efficient route and could become the smallest Moon lander.

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It's Japan's second attempt after Hakuto's crash earlier this year.

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Weighing just 200 kg, SLIM is significantly smaller than India's Chandrayaan-3 lander.

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The mission focuses on demonstrating precision landing within 100 meters of the target site.

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SLIM targets a small crater named Shinoli in the lunar equator.

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Success would mark a significant step for Japan's lunar exploration ambitions.

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