Japan next to shoot for moon after Russia and India missions
- Sunday’s expected launch of a satellite and a lightweight lander follows Russian crash, Indian success
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has suffered series of damaging setbacks since last year
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) H2-A rocket is scheduled to take off on Sunday morning from Tanegashima Space Centre in southern Japan, carrying an advanced imaging satellite and a lightweight lander expected to touch down on the moon in January or February.
Success could provide the thrust JAXA badly needs to begin rebuilding its battered reputation after a series of costly setbacks over the past year. They include several launch failures that derailed both the introduction of a next-generation rocket and the agency’s first attempt to launch commercial satellites.
Those blunders put additional pressure on JAXA to get it right this time, said Jiro Kasahara, a professor at Nagoya University’s Department of Aerospace Engineering.
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“Landing on a moving celestial body is an incredibly important technology to master,” he said. While other space agencies have recovered from failed attempts, JAXA would have a difficult time bouncing back should it stumble again. “Japan only has one shot at this,” Kasahara said.