Japan's SLIM mission lands SORA-Q near Shioli Crater on Moon
Technology
Japan made moon history with its SLIM mission, which landed SORA-Q on January 19, 2024.
Created by JAXA, Sony, Doshisha University, and Takara-TOMY, this 3-inch rover rolled around near Shioli Crater in Mare Nectaris and sent back some cool images and data before heading offline.
SORA-Q transformed and demonstrated mobility
SORA-Q isn't your average robot: it transforms from a sphere into a more cylinder-like shape, using its hemispheres as wheels; a camera flips up for navigation, and a tail deploys as a rear stabilizer.
While it only stayed in touch for about 100 minutes (a bit less than planned), the mission proved that small autonomous robots can explore hard-to-reach spots on the moon.
The results were published in Science Robotics and could shape future space missions.