September 7, 2023: Japan on Thursday launched an H2-A rocket carrying ‘Moon Sniper’ lunar lander ‘SLIM’ into space. The lander is expected to touch down on the Moon's surface in four to six months.

According to sources, the rocket was also carrying a research satellite developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), NASA and the European Space Agency.

The lander, which is called as Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), is designed to land within 100 metres of a specific target on the Moon, far less than the usual range of several kilometres.