NASA Locates Remains of Japanese Moon Lander on Lunar Surface

NASA has confirmed that they have found the remains of a small Japanese spacecraft that crash-landed on the Moon in 2009. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) snapped a photo of the ill-fated spacecraft on the surface of the Moon. This discovery will help the researchers prepare for future manned missions to the Moon.

Background

In 2009, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the Hiten spacecraft, which carried the SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) probe. The purpose of the mission was to study the Moon’s geology, and the SELENE probe was designed to land on the Moon and study its interior using a seismometer. However, the SELENE probe failed to land softly on the Moon’s surface and crashed instead.

Discovery

The LRO, which has been orbiting the Moon since 2009, spotted the remains of the SELENE probe on the surface of the Moon. The image shows a white dot near a 100-meter-long skid mark that marks where the probe made contact with the Moon’s surface. The white dot is believed to be the heat shield of the probe.

The discovery of the spacecraft’s remains will help researchers understand what went wrong with the SELENE probe’s landing. NASA plans to use this information to prepare for future manned missions to the Moon.

Possible Implications

The discovery of the SELENE probe’s remains could have significant implications for future missions to the Moon. The Moon is a critical stepping stone for NASA’s plan to send humans to Mars, and understanding how to land on the Moon safely is essential.

NASA believes that the discoveries made by the LRO will help in the planning and execution of future manned missions to the Moon, which will help further our understanding of our solar system.

Conclusion

The discovery of the SELENE probe’s remains is an exciting development for space exploration. NASA’s LRO has brought to light something that was once lost and will enable researchers to learn from past mistakes in preparation for future missions to the Moon.

This discovery highlights the importance of international collaboration in space exploration, and we can look forward to more exciting discoveries as space exploration continues.

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Summary: NASA has located the remains of a Japanese Moon Lander, the SELENE probe, which crashed into the Moon’s surface in 2009. The discovery will help researchers understand what went wrong with the landing. This information will help NASA prepare for future manned missions to the Moon. #TECH