"Japan's Historic Precision Moon Landing Mission: 20 Minutes of Tension"

Japan's Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), also known as the "Moon Sniper," is set to attempt a historic landing on the lunar surface, aiming to achieve a pinpoint landing at a specific location using precision technology. If successful, this will mark Japan's first robotic explorer on the moon and the third country to achieve such a feat in the 21st century. The mission, which will be live-streamed, aims to demonstrate technology that could enable future missions to land on planets with even scarcer resources than the moon. If successful, SLIM will study the lunar surface near the Sea of Tranquility, investigating the composition of rocks to uncover the moon's origins. This mission comes amid a renewed international push to explore the moon, with a focus on the lunar south pole and the potential for water ice deposits.