As its acronym suggests, SLIM is small and light, measuring 2.4 m (7.9 ft) high, 2.7 m wide and 1.7 m long and weighing approximately 700 kg (1,545 lb).
Dubbed the “Moon Sniper” for its accuracy, JAXA aims to land it within 100 meters of a specific target on the Moon, much less than the normal range of several kilometers.
Using a palm-sized mini rover that can change shape, the probe – developed with a toy company – aims to investigate how the Moon formed by examining exposed pieces of the lunar mantle.
“The lunar landing remains a very difficult technology,” Shinichiro Sakai of the SLIM project team told reporters on Thursday, paying tribute to India’s success.
“To comply with this, we will do our best in our operations,” Sakai said.