jaxa
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Venus’ Only Active Probe Mysteriously Falls Silent
For nearly 10 years, there’s been only one spacecraft able to keep its cool above the hellish landscape of Venus. The Japanese Akatsuki probe was sent to Earth’s neighboring planet to observe its atmospheric dynamics, but the lone Venusian mission has suddenly gone quiet. Japan’s Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) has lost contact…
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After an Explosive First Attempt, Japan Will Try Again to Launch the H3 Rocket
The H3 rocket—11 years in the making—is set for its second launch, following a flubbed debut in March 2023. Japan urgently needs the rocket to succeed, with a second failure risking further delays and monumental headaches for Japan’s space program. H3 is ready to fly again after its botched maiden launch last year, with Japan’s…
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Japan’s Moon Lander Springs Back to Life, Defying the Odds
SLIM fell into an unfortunate position last week, with its solar arrays pointed away from the Sun, but the lander has resumed operations after regaining power.
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Sunlight May Reignite Japan’s Struggling ‘Lunar Sniper’ on the Moon
Japan’s space agency, JAXA, achieved a historic soft landing with SLIM on Friday morning, but the lander ran into instant trouble by not being able to collect solar energy and generate electricity. Hopeful for some westerly sunshine, JAXA is cautiously optimistic that SLIM could spring back to life in a couple of weeks. Shortly after…