The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) achieved a major milestone when its Lunar Exploration Intelligent Lander (SLIM) landed on the moon’s surface on January 19, 2024.
JAXA
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JAXA
Two small transforming robots landed on the moon! They accompanied Japan’s first successful lunar lander called SLIM – Intelligent Lunar Exploration Lander It is the size of a baseball. They emerged from the SLIM in spheres and turned into a rover by hacking through the middle, with each half of the sphere moving outward to reveal a small camera in the center. The two halves act as spinner wheels and help them sway, bounce and roll on hard terrain. These small rovers are autonomous and designed to explore terrain ahead of larger vehicles or go places they can’t.
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This episode was produced by Pearly McCoy. Edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The sound engineers are Robert Rodriguez, Ted Mebane and Hanna Glovna.
