Exploring Noteworthy Recent and Upcoming Lunar Missions: Insights into Japan’s Moon Landing Endeavor.

2 min read 2024-01-20, 12:00 AM IST

Summary of the content

1. Japan’s Lunar Ambition, Japan aims for the world’s first “pinpoint landing” on the moon, with the pursuit reflecting a modern wave of lunar exploration.
2. High Stakes and Club Entry, Success brings international acclaim, failure means a costly setback and public embarrassment. The exclusive club of lunar explorers includes the United States, the Soviet Union, India, and China.
3. United States‘ Lunar Plans, NASA plans lunar flyby in 2023, aiming for a 2026 landing. Recent setback: Astrobotic Technology’s lunar lander, Peregrine, to burn up after a failed moonshot.
4. India’s Milestones, India achieved the first successful landing near the moon’s south pole in 2023. A $75 million triumph follows a 2019 lunar lander crash; plans for a manned lunar mission are in progress.
5. China’s Lunar Dominance, China landed on the moon in 2013, returned lunar samples in 2020, and aims for moon landings with astronauts by the end of the decade. Rivalry with the United States shapes China’s space ambitions; consideration of permanent crewed bases on the moon.
6. Russia’s Challenges and Plans, Luna-25 mission failed in 2023, highlighting a struggle since the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991. Russia plans another moon mission in 2027 to regain prominence in space exploration.
7. Global Implications, Lunar exploration impacts geopolitical influence and national prestige. Successes and setbacks contribute to the evolving narrative of human exploration beyond Earth.
8. Anticipation for Japan’s Lunar Landing, Japan’s imminent lunar landing contributes to the dynamic global space exploration landscape. The outcome will be closely watched as it shapes the ongoing story of human space exploration.

Japan is gearing up for a historic moment as it aims to achieve the world’s first “pinpoint landing” on the moon early Saturday. This ambitious endeavor is part of the contemporary surge in lunar exploration, echoing back to the Cold War-era space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Japan’s pursuit of a precise lunar landing follows the setback in April when a Japanese company’s spacecraft seemingly crashed during its attempt to touch down on the moon.

Joining the exclusive club of lunar explorers, which currently includes the United States, the Soviet Union, India, and China, holds significant promise for Japan. Success in this lunar mission would not only bring international scientific and diplomatic accolades but could also translate into potential domestic political gains. On the flip side, failure would not only be a costly setback but also a public embarrassment for Japan.

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Lunar Exploration Landscape

• The United States

NASA is planning to send astronauts on a lunar flyby next year, with a landing scheduled for 2026. However, this week saw a setback as a U.S. company, Astrobotic Technology, announced the impending destruction of its lunar lander, Peregrine, due to a failed moonshot. A fuel leak forced the company to abandon its attempt to achieve the first U.S. lunar landing in over 50 years. Despite this setback, the United States remains a formidable player in lunar exploration, with plans to commercialize lunar deliveries through private businesses and a governmental push to return astronauts to the moon. Key players like SpaceX and Blue Origin are prioritizing crewed space missions, and another U.S. company, Intuitive Machines, is set to launch its lunar lander in the coming month.

India

In 2023, India made history by becoming the first country to successfully land a spacecraft near the moon’s south pole. This achievement held special significance as scientists believe that darkened craters in this region may contain frozen water, valuable for future missions. India’s success came after a 2019 lunar lander crashed due to a software glitch, making the $75 million triumph a cause for widespread jubilation. The next milestone for India is a manned lunar mission, signaling the country’s ambitions in space exploration. The success also serves as a boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity ahead of a crucial general election. India, aiming to visit the International Space Station next year in collaboration with the United States, views achievements in space as crucial in its rivalry with China.

ALSO READ: Chandrayaan Rover Identifies Sulphur and Various Elements on Moon’s Surface: ISRO.

China

China has been a significant player in lunar exploration, landing on the moon in 2013 and launching a three-person crew for its orbiting space station in the previous year. With aspirations to put astronauts on the moon by the end of the decade, China returned lunar rock samples in 2020, marking the first fresh samples in over 40 years. China’s space ambitions are intricately tied to its rivalry with the United States, as the two global powers compete for influence in Asia and beyond. Building its own space station after being excluded from the International Space Station, China and the United States are considering plans for permanent crewed bases on the moon, raising questions about cooperation and competition on the lunar surface.

Russia

In 2023, Russia faced a setback when its Luna-25 mission failed in its attempt to land in the same area on the moon that India successfully reached. This failure, occurring 47 years after the Soviets landed on the moon, was attributed to the long break and loss of space expertise. Russia, which launched the first satellite in space in 1957 and put the first human in space in 1961, has struggled since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Western sanctions and widespread corruption have hindered Russia’s space program, impacting its global standing. Russia plans another moon mission in 2027, aiming to regain its footing in the space exploration arena.

The landscape of lunar exploration is evolving rapidly, with nations and private companies vying for supremacy in space. Successes and setbacks in these missions not only shape the trajectory of scientific advancements but also have significant implications for geopolitical influence and national prestige. As Japan prepares for its groundbreaking lunar landing, the global space community eagerly anticipates the outcome, knowing that each mission contributes to the unfolding narrative of human exploration beyond Earth.