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[b]Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM)[/b] SLIM is a small-scale exploration lander designed for pinpoint landings on the moon's surface, reduction in the size and weight of equipment used in moon landings and investigation into the moon's origins. It will also test technology fundamental to exploration in low-gravity environments, an important requirement for future scientific investigation of the solar system. [b]SLIM Mission Objectives[/b] Following are the SLIM mission objectives thereby JAXA endeavors to contribute to future missions to explore the moon and other planets: [list][*]Demonstration of the accurate lunar landing techniques embodied in a small explorer [*]Acceleration of the study of the moon and other planets using the lighter exploration system[/list] Future solar science exploration will demand the level of navigation accuracy that JAXA is in the quest for through the SLIM mission. As scientific knowledge builds on the study object, more specific research will be needed. Placing spacecraft with precision facilitates the expertise. Planetary science exploration will additionally call for highly capable equipment for observation. Downsizing the exploration system can reinforce the instruments to be placed into a locale especially well suited for its mission of landing. [b]Orbit to the Moon[/b] SLIM wisely allocates limited resources (allowable weight) to each component to aim for the moon. That includes the propellant needed to reach and land on the moon. Therefore, in SLIM, we are considering the trajectory shown in the figure below. While circling the Earth, the timing is right to push the apogee (the point where the SLIM probe is farthest away from Earth) to the distance of lunar orbit. After that, when it passes near the moon, it will perform a lunar swing-by that uses the gravity of the moon to change its trajectory and further raise the apogee altitude. After the lunar swing-by, the solar tidal force will be used to reach the meeting point with the moon. [b]Landing Sequence[/b] [list][*]Before the start of the landing sequence: Lunar ellipse 600km x 15km Before the start of the sequence and in the lunar elliptical orbit, determine the orbit and position of SLIM from the ground and notify SLIM. Based on this information, SLIM will start reverse firing (injection in the direction opposite to the spacecraft's traveling direction) of the main engine at an altitude of 15 km (perilunar point), and shift to the landing sequence. [*]Powered descent phase: Altitude 15km to 3.5km The first landing sequence is the power descent phase. During the power descent phase, a total of four coasting periods of about 50 seconds, including the start and end, will be set, during which the attitude of the SLIM-mounted camera will be adjusted so that it is focused on the lunar surface. During the coasting period, the lunar surface will be photographed with a camera, and the position and speed at which it is located will be estimated with high accuracy from the images. SLIM will reach the sky above the landing point with such automatic control. [*]Vertical descent phase: Altitude 3.5km to 0m After reaching the sky above the landing site, SLIM descends almost vertically while detecting the altitude with the landing radar. [*]Obstacle detection: Altitude about 50m During the vertical descent phase, "obstacle detection" is performed at a certain altitude (for example, about 300m), and the horizontal position is fine-tuned according to the situation of obstacles directly below the spacecraft. [*]Cut off the main engine: Altitude about 3m When it reaches near the surface of the moon (for example, at an altitude of about 3m), it will cut off the main engine and land while controlling its attitude.[/list] [b]Exploring the Origin of the Moon[/b] With SLIM, the hope is to obtain the key to unlocking the mysteries of the moon's formation and evolution. There is a theory that the moon was formed by a giant impact. In this case, the composition of the mantle, which accounts for 90% of the moon, would be similar to that of Earth. Since the mantle is a material inside the moon, it is necessary to examine the places where the mantle is exposed on the lunar surface in order to directly investigate its composition. One of the various discoveries made by the lunar orbiter Kaguya was the discovery of a place on the lunar surface where material thought to be derived from the mantle was exposed. Therefore, SLIM will make a pinpoint landing near the crater where the mantle-derived material is exposed and observe it in situ. Inside and around craters excavated by meteorite impacts, there are places where lunar internal materials that cannot be seen elsewhere are thought to have been exposed. Specifically, it is predicted that there is a rock containing what is considered to be mantle material called "olivine." Olivine is a material that sank inside the lunar mantle due to its high specific gravity when the primitive moon was still hot and melting. By examining the olivine-containing rocks in detail and comparing their compositions with those on Earth, we will approach the mysteries of the formation and evolution of the moon. SLIM will be equipped with a Multi-Band Camera (MBC) to investigate the composition of olivine. MBC aims to determine the composition of olivine by spectroscopically reflecting sunlight on the moon (dividing it into rainbow colors) and examining the light intensity at each wavelength.
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