Historic moment: Japanese spacecraft lands on the Moon [VIDEO]
The Japanese space agency Jaxa has confirmed that their precision lander Moon Sniper has landed on the moon and is communicating with Earth. However, its probe is not generating enough solar energy and its batteries were discharged in a matter of hours.
With the landing, Japan became the fifth country in the world to land a spacecraft on the Moon, after the United States, Russia, China and India.
The director of Japan's Jaxa space agency said that the spacecraft's landing itself was deemed successful "because the spacecraft sent telemetry data, meaning that most of the equipment on board was working".
The data sent back to Earth from the spacecraft showed that the spacecraft had performed a standard descent and showed that it was on the lunar surface and communicating correctly.
The spacecraft was designed to land on a slope and then roll over slightly on its main supports.
Jaxa representatives said that the two rovers on board were successfully launched just before the landing and will conduct experiments on the moon. Lev-1 is designed to jump and take measurements using an onboard thermometer, radiation monitor and tilt sensor.
The Lev-2, a balloon-shaped mini-rover developed by Takara Tomy, the toy company behind Transformers, is designed to open with two cameras.
Japan calls its technology unprecedented and important for advancing lunar exploration, especially in the search for lunar water and the potential for human habitation.
Japan has been actively seeking to expand its role in space activities by partnering with the United States to counter China's growing military and technological influence, which extends even into space.
Japan is actively participating in NASA's Artemis programme with the aim of sending one of its astronauts to the moon.
However, JAXA has faced numerous setbacks, including the failed launch in March of its new flagship H3 rocket, which was supposed to be competitive with commercial rocket providers such as SpaceX.
JAXA stressed that its high-precision technology will be a powerful tool in the future exploration of the moon's hilly poles, which are seen as a potential source of oxygen, fuel and water. It is also planning a joint unmanned lunar exploration with India in 2025.