Japan's moon sniper' lander heads for touchdown on lunar surface
Japan is set to become the fifth country to land on the moon with its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (Slim)
The mission aims to land with unprecedented precision and determine if the spacecraft deserves its nickname 'moon sniper'
Success would mark a transition towards more precise landings for future missions and add Japan to a short list of countries who have successfully landed on the moon [ more ]
JAXA lost communication with Akatsuki spacecraft around Venus due to a possible thruster issue, jeopardizing humanity's only craft orbiting Venus. [ more ]
Japan's Moon lander makes it through another lunar night
Japan's Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) has exceeded all expectations by surviving three lunar nights despite malfunctioning electronics and lack of heaters. [ more ]